Blocked sewer lines can leak out sewage; a thick, dark water that forms. Sewage water is a serious health hazard and unsanitary; containing contaminants like pathogens, viruses and bacteria. These harmful contaminants may present risks of serious sickness if animals or humans suffer exposure. Quick repair is key if you have sewage backup anywhere in your home or business . Quickly taking care of this will prevent the dangerous waste water from lingering in occupied areas. To stop a hazardous condition occurring in your home or business, being aware of what causes the sewer problems could be beneficial. We’ve put together a list of things to aid in preventing and dealing with home or business sewage blockages:

Causes of Sewage Backup

  • Heavy Rainfall – Excess rains can overpower your town or city’s storm sewer system. If this happens, the water can back up into the connected sewer lines bringing your home or business in possible compromise of water backflow. Growing rivers and streams, hurricanes and other similar events can force flood and sewage waters to blend and present serious health related dangers. You should be immensely cautious when wading in this sort of water, and even stay watchful after the water recedes and dries up. It’s possible for the organic matter to turn aerosolized and respirable, meaning there’s a chance you could inhale it into your lungs. To prevent contact or risk of inhaling these contaminants, proper PPE should be used at all times.
  • Roots from Trees – Trees can have long roots that grow into water or sewer lines and crush or damage them. Damage to pipes and a sewage backup can also be caused by tree roots that aren’t even on your land. Be keenly aware of any tree roots that can reach your water and sewer lines that lead to the main sewer line or septic system.
  • Old/Aging Sewer Lines – Older and aging sewage systems are susceptible to breaking down and cracking, causing sewer backups, flooded basements along with entire home flooding. The older your neighborhood or house 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 good example is: if a single toilet causes a sewage blockage, the lines connected to that toilet, or the main drain lines of more toilets, will also become backed up.
  • Old and/or Damaged Lines – Older sewage systems have a tendency to suffer damage and crack, leading to sewage backups and flooded dwellings full of sewage. If your home or neighborhood is older, the likelihood is greater that you’ll experience damaged sewer lines than newer ones.
  • Copious Rainfall – Heavy and rapid downpours can overwhelm your local storm sewer lines quickly. If these public sewers 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. Area flood waters from events like rising rivers and creeks, hurricanes, or any similar weather events can cause clean water to merge with sewage water and other chemicals and harmful toxins that cause serious health consequences. Use extreme caution when moving on foot in this type of water, but also remain cautious when it dries. The dried organic material can turn aerosolized and turn respirable. Proper PPE needs to be worn at all times to stop contact and risk inhaling contaminated air.
  • Blocked/Clogged Pipes – A clogged pipe or sewer line can force sewage to back up into your home or business. If only one toilet becomes fouled, the sewage backup can spread into the sewer lines and disturb all attached toilets on that line.
  • Roots from Trees – Tree roots can cause damage to water and sewer lines. The roots from huge trees can maneuver into and around the lines and damage them excessively. If the roots on your property are not the problem, roots from closely located trees can extend under property lines and damage your sewer line, causing a sewage problem. Be extra aware of all tree roots that could affect your mainline sewer pipes and/or pipes leading to your septic tank.

PuroClean’s process for sewage cleanup and sanitation in Fort Mill, SC

Our cleaning and remediation procedures for Category 3 water (which describes sewer and contaminated water backup) according to the standards put in place by the IICRC industry are:

1. Ensuring safety for all employees and occupants by placing strict rules on site access to remediation personnel only in order to prevent health related occurrences.

2. Health & safety survey and complete building assessment.

3. Ensure all restoration personnel are outfitted with the proper personal protection equipment (PPE). This includes but is not limited to:

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

4. Use established engineering controls, critical barriers, to stop cross-contamination.

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

6. Removal of bulk water, soil, and contaminates.

7. Removing any and all porous and semi-porous contaminated articles that are unable to be restored, which includes but is not limited to:

  • Carpet, rugs, pad, or underlayment
  • Gypsum board (Drywall)
  • Hardwood flooring
  • Vinyl flooring and underlayment
  • Padded and upholstered items

8. Cleaning procedures implemented, as well as the use of EPA registered biocides and antimicrobials

9. Manual cleaning of all remaining structure material

10. It is suggested to schedule a third party Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) for a safety clearance test to ensure the building is returned to pre-loss state for health and safety.

11. All materials affected by the water to be dried and returned to pre-loss dry standards

12. Post restoration cleaning of all equipment used

13. Removal and disposal of all demo materials removed from the site

For the Perfect Professional Fort Mill, SC Sewage Cleanup Company, Call PuroClean Today!

What happens if a sewer main backup occurs in your house or business? The right answer is: Call PuroClean! Simply because PuroClean technicians are your perfect professionals for sewage removal and cleaning services. With the latest and greatest equipment and cleaning tools, we efficiently restore, remediate and completely clean the affected parts in your home or business.

PuroClean has proved time after time that our services and our specialists are top quality, efficient, and work with care and empathy for all involved. PuroClean is your ideal damage restoration and cleaning firm and we pledge to do whatever needs to happen to rescue and restore all properties in the communities we serve.

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

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