Toilet and sewer pipe backups may result in sewage entering your basement or other portions of your home or company. This dark, thick water is very hazardous and contains quite a lot of dangerous contaminants. These contaminants are made up of pathogens, bacteria and viruses and present health risks and sickness dangers if people or animals become exposed. Fixing these problems ASAP is imperative, as is removing sewage from your property. Having information of what may cause sewer blockages may help you avoid a hazardous situation in your home or basement. Following is a list of things that may help prevent sewage backups that may occur in your home or business:

Why Sewage Backup Occurs

  • Heavy Rainfall – Excess flooding can overpower your town or city’s storm sewer mainlines. If this happens, the water can expand into the attached sewer lines placing your home or business in possible compromise of water backflow. Increasing 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 immensely cautious when walking in this type of water, and even stay vigilant 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 breathe it into your lungs. To stop contact or risk of inhaling these contaminants, proper PPE should be worn at all times.
  • Tree Roots – Trees can have strong roots that grow into water or sewer lines and crush or damage them. Damage to pipes and a sewage backup can also be induced by tree roots that aren’t even on your land. Be very 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 structures 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 damage occurring.
  • Clogged and Blocked Drain Pipes – If your house 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 adjacent pipes connected to that toilet, or the main drain lines of more toilets, will also suffer backflow flooding.
  • Old and/or Damaged Lines – Older sewage systems have a tendency to fail and crack, leading to sewer water influx and flooded homes or businesses 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 rapid downpours can overpower your local storm sewer lines promptly. If these public sewers can’t deal with excess waters, water can backup and flow into connected sewer lines. This can put your home or business at risk of backflow difficulties. Area flood waters from events like rising rivers and creeks, hurricanes, or any rainy weather events can cause clean water to mix with sewage water and other chemicals and harmful toxins that cause serious health difficulties. Use extreme carefulness when wading in this type of water, but also remain cautious once it dries. The dried organic waste can turn airborne and turn respirable. Proper PPE needs to be utilized at all times to prevent contact and risk inhaling contaminated air.
  • Blocked/Clogged Sewer Lines – A clogged pipe or sewer line can cause sewage to back up into your dwelling or business. If only one toilet becomes fouled, the sewer water backup can spread into the sewer lines and influence all linked toilets on that line.
  • Tree Roots – 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 tremendously. If the roots under your property are not the cause, roots from nearby trees can grow under property lines and harm your sewer line, 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 cleanup and sanitation process in Rockville, MD

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

1. Ensuring safety for all personnel 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. Be confident that all restoration specialists are equipped with the appropriate 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. Institute engineering controls, firm barriers if needed to prevent cross-contamination.

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

6. Bulk water, soil, and contaminates removal

7. Removal of all contaminated porous and semi-porous materials that are not restorable, which can consist of but are not limited to:

  • Carpet, rugs, pad, or underlayment
  • Padded and upholstered objects
  • Drywall materials
  • Vinyl flooring and underlayment
  • Hardwood flooring

8. Implement cleaning methods and utilization of EPA registered biocides and antimicrobials

9. Actual cleaning of all remaining structures

10. A third-party Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) is recommended to perform clearance testing, to ensure the building is returned to a pre-loss condition for health and safety.

11. All materials touched by water to be dried and returned to pre-loss condition

12. After completion of remediation – Cleansing of all equipment used

13. Transfer and disposal of all demo materials removed from the jobsite

Call PuroClean for Professional Sewage Cleanup in Rockville, MD!

Our technicians utilize state-of-the-art equipment and cleaning methods to effectively restore and clean the affected building materials and belongings from your home or business. If a sewage drain pipe backup from blockage occurs, call our professionals for sewage removal and cleaning services.

The high standard of our sewage abatement and cleaning services along with the rapidity in which we complete the work, and the sheer compassion we practice throughout the process make PuroClean your complete flood damage restoration and remediation company. PuroClean vows to do whatever it takes to save, clean and restore all properties that are within our service areas.

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

FAQ

What does BBP mean?

Bloodborne pathogens (BBPs), as defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), means pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans. These pathogens [...]

Is blood a biohazard?

Blood itself is not a biohazard, it’s what may be in the potentially hazardous blood, such as bloodborne pathogens (BBPs) or infectious microorganisms, that can cause diseases. [...]

Can I use household products to prevent the Coronavirus?

There is no proven home remedy for this virus.  Extreme heat or cold, nasal saline solutions, eating or applying garlic or onions to the skin, spraying alcohol or chlorine on [...]

How can I keep my home sterilized when taking care of someone with COVID-19?

As with any virus, the Coronavirus spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and any respiratory droplets come in contact with another person.  Keeping a good distance from infected [...]

How can I properly disinfect my home to keep it germ-free during my pregnancy after someone sick has visited my home?

As of March 17, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) does not have information specifically regarding how pregnant women are reacting to COVID-19 exposure. However, it should be noted [...]