When sewer lines become obstructed, the thick, black water that forms as sewage is a health risk, and is tremendously unsanitary as it consists of contaminants like pathogens, bacteria, and viruses that may pose a risk of severe illness if exposed to humans or pets. If you have a sewer backed up in your basement, or your toilet backs up, you will need to repair it quickly, or you will end up with dirty water all over your home or business. Knowing the cause of sewer backups, however, may help you prevent a hazardous situation in your basement, home or business. Following is a list of items that may help to prevent and handle sewage backups:

Why Sewage Backup Occurs

  • Considerable Rainfall – Excess rains can overpower your town or city’s storm sewer mainlines. If this happens, the waste can expand into the connected sewer lines bringing your home or business in possible danger of water backflow. Surging rivers and streams, hurricanes and other relevant events can cause flood and sewage waters to blend and present genuine health related dangers. You should be immensely cautious when walking in this sort of water, and even stay vigilant after the water recedes and dries up. It’s viable for the organic matter to become aerosolized and respirable, meaning there’s a chance you could breathe it into your lungs. To protect from contact or risk of inhaling these contaminants, proper PPE should be used at all times.
  • Roots from Trees – Trees can have strong roots that grow into water or sewer lines and crush or impair them. Damage to pipes and a sewage backup can also be caused by tree roots that aren’t even on your property. Be very aware of any tree roots that can reach your water and sewer lines that lead to the central sewer line or septic system.
  • Old/Aging Sewer Pipes – Older and aging sewage structures are susceptible to breaking down and cracking, inducing sewer backups, flooded basements along with entire home flooding. The older your neighborhood or home may raise the threat of this type of catastrophe occurring.
  • Clogged and Blocked Drain Pipes – If your home or business’s main sewer line or drain pipes become fouled, sewage may back up inside the dwelling. A fine example is: if a single toilet causes a sewage blockage, the drains connected to that toilet, or the main drain lines of more toilets, will also suffer backflow flooding.
  • Old and/or Damaged Lines – Aging sewage systems have a tendency to fail and crumble, leading to sewer water influx and flooded dwellings full of sewage. If your home or neighborhood is older, the probability is greater that you’ll experience failing sewer lines than newer ones.
  • Heavy Rain – Heavy and rapid rainfall can overwhelm your local storm sewer lines rapidly. If these public sewer mains can’t deal with excess downpours, water can backup and progress into connected sewer lines. This can put your dwelling at risk of backflow problems. Regional flood waters from events like rising rivers and creeks, hurricanes, or any other weather events can cause clean water to blend with sewage water and other chemicals and harmful toxins that cause serious health problems. Use extreme caution when wading in this type of waste, but also stay cautious once it dries. The dried organic matter can turn aerosolized and turn respirable. Correct PPE needs to be used at all times to prevent contact and risk inhaling contaminated air.
  • Blocked/Clogged Pipes – A clogged pipe or sewer line can cause sewage to back up into your home or business. If only one toilet becomes fouled, the sewer water backup can spread down the sewer lines and disturb all connected toilets on that line.
  • Roots from Trees – Tree roots can be harmful to water and sewer lines. The roots from huge trees can maneuver into and around the lines and damage them excessively. If the roots under your property are not the culprit, roots from closely located trees can cross property lines and harm your sewer line, causing a sewage issue. Be extra aware of all tree roots near your mainline sewer pipes and/or pipes that run to your septic tank.

PuroClean’s process for sewage cleanup and sanitation in Fort Worth, TX

Our procedures for Category 3 water (also known as sewer and contaminated water backup) cleanup, following the IICRC industry guidelines, consists of:

1. Ensure the safety of all personnel and non-personnel by managing onsite access to restoration personnel only to prevent health-related issues

2. Health and Safety checks and assessment of the workplace.

3. Ensure all remediation employees are supplied with and use the required personal protection equipment (PPE). This includes, but isn’t limited to the following:

  • Nitrile and cut resistant gloves
  • Rubber boots with steel toes and shank
  • Full face respirator
  • Full body suit protection

4. Implement established engineering controls, critical barriers, to prevent cross-contamination.

5. Removing any type of probable safety risks if at all possible.

6. Disposal, removal of bulk flooding, soil, and contaminates.

7. Getting rid of any and all porous and semi-porous contaminated materials that are unable to be salvaged, which includes but is not limited to:

  • Carpet, rugs, pad, or underlayment
  • Padded and upholstered furniture
  • Gypsum board
  • Vinyl flooring and underlayment
  • Wooden flooring

8. Implement cleaning procedures and use of EPA registered biocides and antimicrobials

9. Full physical cleaning of all structure items that remain

10. We recommend using a third-party Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) to implement clearance testing to ensure the property is returned to a sanitary pre-loss state for health and safety.

11. All materials affected by excess waters are to be dried and returned to pre-loss dry condition

12. All equipment used on the project to be cleaned after restoration completion

13. All materials from demolition process removed completely

Call PuroClean for Professional Sewage Cleanup in Fort Worth, TX!

Reach out to the PuroClean specialists for sewage removal, cleaning and remediation. Whether it’s from a clogged toilet, flood waters or sewage drain backups to take care of the problem for your dwelling. PuroClean uses the latest, state-of-the-art equipment and cleaning systems to completely and efficiently clean and restore all affected items and structures.

The sheer value of our sewer water removal and cleaning services, along with the speed in which we deliver the work, as well as our empathy demonstrated throughout the process helps make PuroClean your preferred damage remediation and restoration firm. We strive to do everything that’s needed and within our power to restore and rescue properties in all the towns and cities that make up our service areas.

*Not all PuroClean offices provide sewage cleanup and sanitation cleaning services.

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