When sewer pipes become blocked, the thick, black water that forms as sewage is a health hazard, and is extremely unsanitary as it contains contaminants such as pathogens, bacteria, and viruses that can present a risk of severe illness if exposed to humans or animals. If you have a sewage backup in your basement, or your toilet backs up, you will need to repair it quickly, or you will end up with sewage all over your floors. Knowing what causes sewer backups, however, may help you prevent a hazardous situation in your basement, home or business. Here’s a list of items that may help to prevent and deal with sewage backups:

Why Sewage Backup Occurs

  • Heavy Rainfall – Excess rains can overpower your City’s storm sewer system. If this happens, the waste can swell into the connected sewer lines putting your home or business in possible risk of water backflow. Swelling rivers and streams, and other similar events can force flood and sewage waters to blend and present genuine health related dangers. You should be highly cautious when wading in this sort of water, and even stay vigilant after the water recedes and dries up. It’s probable for the organic matter to become aerosolized and able to be inhaled, meaning there’s a chance you could breathe it into your lungs. To protect from contact or risk of breathing in these contaminants, legitimate PPE should be used at all times.
  • Tree Roots – Trees can have long roots that grow into water or sewer pipes and crush or impair them. Damage to pipes and a sewage backup can also be induced by tree roots that aren’t even on your premises. Be acutely 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 structures are susceptible to crumbling and cracking, inducing sewer backups, sewer filled basements along with entire home flooding. The older your region or home may raise the threat of this type of damage occurring.
  • Clogged and Blocked Drain Pipes – If your home or business’s main sewer pipes or drain pipes become blocked, sewage may back up inside the dwelling. A common example is: if a single commode causes a sewage blockage, the adjacent pipes connected to that toilet, or the main drain pipes of more toilets, will also suffer backflow flooding.
  • Old and/or Damaged Sewer Lines – Older sewage systems have a propensity to fail and crack, leading to sewer water influx and flooded dwellings full of sewage. If your home or region is older, the probability is greater that you’ll experience impaired sewer lines than newer ones.
  • Heavy Rain – Heavy and rapid rainfall can overpower 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. Area flood waters from events like surging rivers and creeks, or any rainy weather events can cause clean water to merge with sewage water and other chemicals and contaminants that cause serious health problems. Use extreme caution when moving on foot in this type of waste, but also stay cautious when it dries. The dried organic waste can turn aerosolized and turn respirable. Correct PPE needs to be worn at all times to stop contact and risk inhaling tainted air.
  • Blocked/Clogged Sewer Lines – A fouled pipe or sewer line can force sewage to back up into your dwelling or business. If only one commode becomes fouled, the sewer water backup can spread into the sewer pipes and influence all connected toilets on that line.
  • Roots from Trees – Tree roots can be harmful to water and sewer pipes. The roots from big trees can make their way into and around the pipes and damage them tremendously. If the roots around your property are not the culprit, roots from nearby trees can grow under property lines and ruin your sewer pipes, causing a sewage issue. Be super aware of all tree roots near your mainline sewer pipes and/or pipes leading to your septic tank.

PuroClean Certified Restoration’s sewage cleaning and sanitation process in Springfield, MO

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. To ensure the safety of all occupants and personnel by restricting jobsite traffic to restoration and cleaning personnel only to help prevent any health related situations.

2. Assessment of the building and Health and Safety checks.

3. Ensure all remediation employees are supplied with and use the proper 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. Engineering controls put in place and condemnatory barricades used (if needed) preventing cross-contamination.

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

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

7. Eradication and disposal of all contaminate affected porous and semi-porous material that is not restorable – which can include but is not limited to:

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

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

9. Actual cleaning of all remaining structures

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

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

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

13. All demo materials removed from the building

For A Professional Springfield, MO Sewage Cleanup Company, Call PuroClean Certified Restoration Today.

Our technicians put to use state-of-the-art equipment and cleaning procedures to effectively restore and clean the unsound building materials and belongings from your home or business. If a sewage drain pipe backup from blockage is your problem, call our technicians for sewage removal and cleaning services.

We have proved time after time that our work and our technicians are top quality, efficient, and work with care and compassion for all involved. PuroClean Certified Restoration is your trusted local damage restoration and cleaning specialists and we pledge to do whatever needs to happen to rescue and restore all properties in the communities we serve.

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