When sewer pipes become obstructed, the thick, black water that forms as sewage is a health danger, and is tremendously unsanitary as it consists of contaminants such as pathogens, bacteria, and viruses that can present a risk of severe illness if exposed to people or pets. If you have a sewage backup in your basement, or your toilet backs up, you will need to fix it quickly, or you will end up with dirty water all over your floors. Knowing what causes sewer backups, however, may help you prevent a hazardous occurrence in your basement, home or business. Here’s a list of items that may help to prevent and handle sewage backups:

Causes of Sewage Backup

  • Considerable Rainfall – Excess flooding can overwhelm 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 risk of water backflow. Rising rivers and streams, hurricanes and other relevant events can cause flood and sewage waters to mix and present serious health related problems. You should be extremely cautious when wading in this type of water, and even stay cautious after the water recedes and dries up. It’s viable for the organic matter to be aerosolized and able to be inhaled, meaning there’s a chance you could inhale it into your lungs. To protect from contact or risk of inhaling these contaminants, appropriate PPE should be used 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 premises. Be keenly aware of any tree roots that can sprawl into your water and sewer pipes that lead to the main sewer line or septic system.
  • Old/Aging Sewer Lines – Older and aging sewage systems are susceptible to crumbling and cracking, causing sewer backups, sewer filled basements as well as entire home flooding. The older your neighborhood or dwelling may raise the threat of this type of catastrophe occurring.
  • Clogged and Blocked Drain Pipes – If your home or business’s main sewer pipes or drain pipes become clogged, sewage may back up inside the dwelling. A good example is: if a single toilet causes a sewage backup, the lines 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 sewer water influx and flooded dwellings full of sewage. If your home or neighborhood is older, the chance is greater that you’ll experience impaired sewer lines than newer ones.
  • Heavy Rain – Heavy and sudden downpours can overpower your local storm sewer lines promptly. If these public sewer pipes can’t deal with excess downpours, water can backup and flow into connected sewer lines. This can put your dwelling at risk of backflow difficulties. Local flood waters from events like rising rivers and creeks, hurricanes, or any rainy weather events can cause clean water to blend 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 water, but also remain cautious once it dries. The dried organic material can turn aerosolized and turn respirable. The right PPE needs to be worn 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 dwelling or business. If only one toilet becomes backed up, the sewage backup can spread on to the sewer pipes and disturb all attached toilets on that line.
  • Roots from Trees – Tree roots can be harmful to water and sewer pipes. The roots from huge trees can grow into and around the pipes and damage them excessively. If the roots under your property are not the problem, roots from closely located trees can grow under property lines and ruin your sewer pipes, causing a sewage issue. Be extra aware of all tree roots that could affect your mainline sewer pipes and/or pipes that run to your septic tank.

PuroClean’s sewage cleaning and sanitation process in Mineola, NY

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 restrictions 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 cleanup and restoration personnel are outfitted with the proper personal protection equipment (PPE). This includes but is not limited to:

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

4. Engineering controls put in place and condemnatory barricades used (if needed) guarding against cross-contamination.

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

6. Clearing the jobsite of all bulk water, soil, and contaminates.

7. Removal of all contaminated porous and semi-porous materials that are not able to be saved, which can include but are not limited to:

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

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

9. Manual cleaning of all remaining structure items

10. We suggest using a third-party Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) to perform clearance testing to ensure the building is returned to a safe 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. Post restoration cleaning of all equipment used

13. All materials from demolition process removed completely

For the Perfect Professional Mineola, NY Sewage Cleanup Company, Call PuroClean Today!

Reach out to the PuroClean specialists for sewage abatement, cleaning and restoration. Whether it’s from a clogged toilet, flood waters or sewer pipe backups to manage the problem for your dwelling. PuroClean uses the newest, state-of-the-art equipment and cleansing tools to completely and efficiently clean and remediate all affected objects and structures.

We have proved time after time that our services and our technicians are top quality, efficient, and work with care and grace for all involved. We are your ideal damage restoration and cleaning group and we pledge to do whatever needs to happen to rescue and restore all properties in the communities we serve.

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

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