Having a sewer back up into your home is a major inconvenience that may disrupt your routine life. While not as catastrophic as a storm or a fire breakout, it nonetheless poses significant health risks and sanitation problems and can cause substantial property loss. For this reason, if you ever experience a sewage overflow in your house, you need to act promptly and effectively to prevent the backup of sewage.
There’s a chance you can recover some of your valuables if the damage is not all that bad, but it depends on the circumstances. However, always remember that sewage clearance can be a time-consuming and potentially hazardous process. Except if the spillage is minimal and readily manageable, you should not attempt to clean it by yourself but seek professional assistance. Our licensed professionals at Robinson Restoration have years of expertise in the cleanup field and comprehensive training in addressing sewage problems.
What Is A Sewer Backup?
It’s not uncommon for a clogged drain to be mistaken for a backed-up sewer. These are times when any foreign object could get lodged inside an individual drainage pipe and prevent water from escaping properly. On the contrary, a sewer backlog occurs when wastewater from underneath the ground level rises through your apartment’s sewage system and into fixtures like the shower, basin, or commode.
Degraded pipelines, tree stumps entering the system, and inappropriate disposal of hygiene items, toilet tissue, grease, and oil are a few of the potential causes of sewer backups. Sewer backups can also be caused by an excess of water that overwhelms the drainage system, as is the case when gutters or stormwater runoff are inappropriately diverted into the sewage system. A property owner’s private channel is to blame in most such cases. But occasionally, municipal sewage infrastructure is susceptible to backups, which can cause flooding in both public systems and private residences.
Procedures To Follow When A Sewer Backs Up
Whenever you suspect a sewage backlog owing to standing water, you should always consider proactive measures. People should avoid being exposed to sewage because of the health risks it poses. Hence, protecting your loved ones from backing up waste should be your primary priority. Keep the kids away from the dirt.
If you have to go close to the pool, make sure your eyes, nose, and skin are well protected. Kill the main switch or the circuit breaker serving the affected area without exposing yourself to risk. Do not make use of any of the indoor plumbing systems. To proceed, a professional should be contacted to examine the matter and offer advice. It may be essential to simultaneously file a claim with your home insurance provider as well.
Cleaning Up Approaches
The use of dry and wet vacuuming and some cleaning agents can help you clear up minor sewage backlog. If instead, the issue is severe, though, you will certainly have to abandon anything which may soak up water. A need may arise to remove the floorboards, carpeting, molding, drywall, and even the wooden foundations.
Promptly initiate the cleanup effort, which may necessitate hiring a restoration service to handle the majority work. Humidity factors brought on by the wastewater encourage the rapid development and propagation of mold, resulting in costly structural damage. Only when contaminated items are evacuated, the restoration team may get to work disinfecting and sealing anything that can be saved with chemical agents and coatings. Rebuilding activities may initiate immediately following this.
Addressing The Origin Of A Sewer Backup
Identifying and fixing the origin of a backup is essential after the immediate issue of standing wastewater and sewage has been resolved and cleansing has been initiated. There can be several causes for sewer pipes to break down and cease functioning.
Major factors responsible for a backup include taproot penetration, pipes being punctured or destroyed by shifting soil, and clogs resulting from constant material degradation in aged pipes, among others. In order to utilize the fixtures in your home again, you may need to get the inherent problem diagnosed and fixed by a professional.
Limiting The Possibility Of Subsequent Backups
There are a number of potential causes for sewer systems backing up. Fortunately, there are measures you may take to keep your property safe from a backlog of sewage in the pipelines. For starters, if your building is over 30 years old, you should have your sewer lines examined yearly or at least once every few years. It may be better to spend money on periodic checks and, if required, a fresh sewage outflow passage, than to deal with an unexpectedly high repair bill. Abstain from dropping fatty substances like oil and grease down the drainage pipes, and flush only toilet tissue down your commode. Pipes may quickly get choked by anything, including “disposable” items that may not be made of toilet tissue.
Experienced sewage cleanup professionals will not only remove the wastewater but also perform any necessary repairs, eliminate any lingering smells, and remove any contaminated stuff from your property. Swift and efficient expert assistance can save you time and energy while also providing a safer, more cost-effective way to address the issue. In the instance of a sewage backlog, professional services are typically covered by insurance, so you might not even be charged for it.
Suman(Kul Prasad) Pandit is an accomplished business professional and entrepreneur with a proven track record in corporate and start-up sectors in the UK and USA. With a focus on sustainable business practices and business education, Suman is highly regarded for his innovative problem-solving and commitment to excellence. His expertise and dedication make him a valuable asset for businesses seeking growth and success.