Blocked sewer lines can release sewage; a thick, dark water that forms. Sewage water is a dangerous health hazard and unsanitary; which contains contaminants like pathogens, viruses and bacteria. These dangerous contaminants may present risks of serious illness if animals or humans suffer exposure. Quick repair is key if you have sewage backup anywhere in your home or business . Quickly repairing this will prevent the hazardous waste water from staying in occupied areas. To stop a hazardous condition occurring in your home or business, knowing what leads to the sewer incidents could be beneficial. We’ve put together a list of things to aid in preventing and handling home or business sewage backups:

Causes of Sewage Backup

  • Heavy Rainfall – Excess flooding can overpower your town or city’s storm sewer system. If this happens, the waste can expand into the attached sewer lines placing your home or business in possible compromise of water backflow. Growing rivers and streams, hurricanes and other relevant events can force flood and sewage waters to mix and present genuine health related problems. You should be highly cautious when walking in this type of water, and even stay cautious after the water recedes and dries up. It’s possible for the organic matter to be aerosolized and respirable, meaning there’s a chance you could breathe it into your lungs. To prevent contact or risk of inhaling these contaminants, proper PPE should be worn at all times.
  • Tree Roots – Trees can have long roots that grow into water or sewer pipes and crush or damage them. Damage to pipes and a sewer backup can also be induced by tree roots that aren’t even on your land. Be very aware of any tree roots that can sprawl into your water and sewer pipes that lead to the central sewer line or septic system.
  • Old/Aging Sewer Lines – Older and aging sewage systems are susceptible to breaking down and cracking, causing sewer backups, sewer filled basements along with entire home flooding. The older your region or house may raise the threat of this type of damage occurring.
  • Clogged and Blocked Drain Pipes – If your house or business’s main sewer pipes or drain pipes become fouled, sewage may back up inside the building. A good example is: if a single toilet causes a sewage backup, the adjacent pipes connected to that toilet, or the main drain pipes of more toilets, will also become backed up.
  • Old and/or Damaged Lines – Older sewage systems have a tendency to fail and crumble, leading to sewage backups and flooded dwellings full of sewage. If your home or region is older, the chance is greater that you’ll experience failing sewer lines than newer ones.
  • Copious Rainfall – Heavy and sudden rainfall can overwhelm your local storm sewer lines rapidly. If these public sewer lines can’t deal with excess rainfall, water can backup and progress into connected sewer lines. This can put your home or business at risk of backflow difficulties. Area flood waters from events like surging rivers and creeks, hurricanes, or any rainy weather events can cause clean water to merge with sewage water and other chemicals and harmful toxins that cause serious health difficulties. Use extreme carefulness when moving on foot in this type of waste, but also remain cautious when it dries. The dried organic waste can turn aerosolized and turn respirable. Correct PPE needs to be utilized at all times to stop contact and risk inhaling contaminated air.
  • Blocked/Clogged Pipes – A fouled pipe or sewer line can force sewage to back up into your home or business. If only one toilet becomes backed up, the sewage backup can spread into the sewer pipes and disturb all attached toilets on that line.
  • Roots from Trees – Tree roots can wreak havoc on water and sewer pipes. The roots from huge trees can make their way into and around the pipes and damage them excessively. If the roots under your property are not the problem, roots from nearby trees can grow under property lines and harm your sewer pipes, causing a sewage problem. Be extra aware of all tree roots near your mainline sewer pipes and/or pipes leading to your septic tank.

PuroClean’s process for sewage cleanup and sanitation in Laguna Niguel, CA

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

1. To ensure the safety of all occupants and workers by limiting jobsite access to restoration and cleanup personnel only to help stop any health related situations.

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

3. Be positive that all restoration specialists are equipped with the correct 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. Institute engineering controls, critical barriers if required to prevent cross-contamination.

5. Eliminating any and all probable safety risks if possible.

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

7. Disposal of all contaminated porous and semi-porous materials that are not salvageable, which can consist of but are 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. Physical cleaning of all remaining structures

10. We suggest using a third-party Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) to conduct clearance testing to ensure the site is returned to a sanitary pre-loss condition for health and safety.

11. Drying of all items affected by the sewer water intrusion back to pre-loss dry state

12. Post restoration cleaning of all equipment used

13. All materials from demolition work removed completely

Call PuroClean for Professional Sewage Cleanup in Laguna Niguel, CA!

Our technicians use state-of-the-art equipment and cleaning procedures to effectively restore and clean the affected building materials and contents from your house or business. If a sewage drain line backup from blockage occurs, call our professionals for sewage removal and cleaning services.

The sheer expertise of our sewage removal and cleaning services, along with the speed in which we deliver the work, as well as our kindness demonstrated throughout the entire project helps make PuroClean your perfect damage remediation and restoration company. We pledge to do everything that’s needed and within our power to fully remediate properties in all the neighborhoods that make up our coverage areas.

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

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