Dealing with a sewage backup in your basement can be quite unpleasant. Due to its messy and potentially hazardous nature, this situation requires expertise and caution. If your home is facing a sewage backup, it is crucial to take prompt action to avoid any long-term damage to your property.

By understanding the proper steps for handling a sewage backup in your basement, you can approach this unpleasant task with the insight of a professional. Here is a comprehensive guide that covers everything you need to know, from immediate actions after a backup to how to clean up raw sewage in the basement and preventing future incidents from impacting your living spaces.

What Happens During Sewage Backup?

Your property’s drainage system takes the wastewater from toilets, sinks, showers, and other plumbing fixtures (or sewage) away from your property. The sewage should then go to your local sewer system or your property’s septic tank.

A sewage backup occurs when sewage doesn’t flow away from the property but back into your building. This can be due to a major blockage preventing sewage flow or issues with your property’s drainage or the local sewer system. Sewage backups can occur in homes, businesses, and other buildings. During a sewage backup, one or more drains, including the basement’s drainage, may be affected.

The result of a backup is unpleasant for everyone on your property due to the smell. It can also be a health hazard due to the bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants entering your property from the drains. The wastewater can also flood and spill onto different areas of your property, causing extensive water damage. Because of these risks, dealing with a sewage backup requires prompt action to mitigate the damage and ensure the safety of those affected.

Main Causes of Sewage Backup

There are different reasons why your property could experience sewage backup. If you’re unsure what could be causing the backup, it’s best to contact a professional to determine the issue and possible solutions. Common causes can include:

• Clogs: These are a combination of hair, debris, soap scum, fat, oil, grease (FOG), and other materials that have stuck to the drainage pipes over time. These eventually build up into a clog that reduces or completely blocks wastewater flow.

• Tree Roots: Trees on your property seek moisture and nutrients through their roots, which can be found inside your sewer lines. Roots can grow and push into the pipes, eventually damaging them and blocking the flow.

• Faulty Drainage Systems: Cracked or collapsed pipes, outdated plumbing systems, and improper installation in sloped areas can all contribute to sewage backups.

• Sewer System Failure: Heavy rainfall or melting snow can overload your local sewer system. This can lead to the entire system overflowing and backing up, affecting multiple properties with shared sewer lines.

• Structural Damage: Soil shifting, earthquakes, or issues with your property’s structure can affect its connection to your main sewer line. This can cause a misalignment or damage the connection, causing a sewer backup.

Risks of Sewage Backup

Sewage backups pose several risks to your health, property, and the safety of those inside your home or business. These risks can include:

• Health Hazards: Sewage contains harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause serious illnesses if ingested or inhaled. Additionally, sewer systems can have toxic gasses from organic materials and household or industrial waste.

• Structural Damage: Prolonged exposure to sewage can weaken the structural integrity of your property. Porous surfaces such as wood can deteriorate, while load-bearing walls and drywall can develop defects that require costly repairs.

• Mold and Mildew Growth: Sewage backups in the basement can create a dark and damp environment that’s the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. Those on your property with respiratory issues can experience various symptoms. Additionally, mold can cause further damage to your property.

• Electrical Hazards: Avoid entering a flooded basement at all costs due to the risk of electrocution or explosions. Contact your utility providers to shut off the gas and electricity.

What Are the Signs of a Sewage Backup?

Recognizing the early signs of a sewage backup can help you take swift action to minimize the damage and inconvenience of a backup. These are some common signs of a sewage backup:

• Foul Odors: One of the most noticeable signs of a sewage backup is a strong, unpleasant odor from your drains, toilets, or sinks. This is more noticeable on the lower floors of your property, especially your basement.

• Slow-Draining Fixtures: One slow-moving drain does not necessarily indicate a sewage backup. However, if multiple drains in your property are draining slowly or are backing up with water, it could indicate a blockage in the sewer line.

• Gurgling Noises: Unusual gurgling or bubbling noises coming from drains, toilets, or plumbing fixtures when they are not in use signify trapped air in the sewer line, indicating a potential blockage.

• Water Backing Up: Sewage backups can cause water to flow back to drains, toilets, or sinks. In severe cases, sewage may overflow onto floors or surfaces, creating a visible and unsanitary mess.

• Patches of Lush Grass: Outside your property, if patches of grass near your sewer line or septic tank are unusually healthier than the rest of your lawn, there could be a damaged sewer line nearby. The leaking sewage serves as fertilizer to the soil. You might also smell foul odors in the area.

What To Do Immediately After Sewage Backup

Acting swiftly and decisively when faced with a sewage backup in the basement is essential. As much as possible, avoid touching anything contaminated and leave the cleanup to professionals. Here is a list of safety precautions to follow after a sewage backup:

1. Contact your utility company and turn off the gas and electricity. Do not enter the basement or touch any plugged-in electronics until the electricity is turned off.

2. Keep children, pets, and immunocompromised individuals away from the sewage backup.

3. Contact a property restoration company’s emergency services to seek immediate assistance securing your property.

4. If applicable, you should also contact your insurance company to start the claims process. Document the damage for your claims and ask the restoration company for assistance.

5. Avoid skin contact with sewage water, especially if you have cuts and sores. If you must access or handle contaminated areas, wear rubber boots, gloves, and a respirator mask.

6. Open windows to ventilate and dry the area. Meanwhile, take steps to prevent sewage water from tracking into unaffected areas.

How To Clean Up Raw Sewage in the Basement

Because of the health and safety risks associated with sewage backups, we highly recommend avoiding handling raw sewage without proper gear and instruction. In the case of sewage cleanup, it is always best to leave it to the professionals.

The process can vary depending on the severity of the sewage backup, the items in your basement, and other factors that require special attention during cleanup. These are some steps they will conduct for sewage backup cleanup in your basement.

1. Securing the Basement

Restoration technicians will first evaluate potential hazards, such as electrical dangers, structural instability, and exposure to harmful bacteria or gasses. They will then take appropriate safety precautions, including wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, masks, and protective suits.

Next, they will take the necessary steps to contain the sewage and contaminants. If your basement is the only part affected, they may seal off the doors and windows to prevent airborne contaminants from affecting other parts of your property.

2. Removing Standing Water

Restoration technicians have the safety gear and equipment to remove standing sewage water effectively. These will be extracted and pumped out of the basement. Household vacuums and other cleaning tools aren’t strong enough to perform this task, so professionals are needed here.

Aside from the visible wet areas, your property restoration team should also look within your property’s structure. The sewage water could have entered the structure, which can be difficult to dry out without professional intervention. Your technicians can take the necessary steps to ensure your property’s structure isn’t compromised.

3. Salvaging and Disposal of Contaminated Items

Depending on your insurance coverage, some items can be salvaged and repaired or discarded and replaced. Certain items may be salvaged during sewage cleanup with proper disinfection and repairs. These will be salvaged, cleaned, and set aside for storage while the cleanup process is ongoing.

On the other hand, some items cannot be free of pathogens with certainty, or it might be more practical to discard and replace them. These items typically include:

• Carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, mattresses, and other linens and textiles
• Drywall and insulation materials
• Wooden furniture
• Electrical appliances
• Food and beverages exposed to sewage water
• Kitchen utensils, dishes, and other food-related items
• Children’s toys
• Clothes
• Paper products
• Personal care products

• 4. Cleaning and Disinfection

  The technicians will thoroughly clean and disinfect your basement to eliminate bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants. Restoration professionals will use EPA-approved disinfectants and antimicrobial treatments to sanitize surfaces and restore the basement to a safe and sanitary condition.

  5. Mold Remediation

  After cleaning, the basement will be dried out using industrial-grade air movers, dehumidifiers, and other drying equipment. Additional mold removal and remediation steps prevent mold and mildew growth from affecting the basement and spreading to the rest of your property. This step also restores your basement to a dry state.

  6. Odor Removal

  If you are faced with lingering odors, restoration professionals can use odor-neutralizing agents, air scrubbers, and other odor-removal processes to remove unpleasant smells and prevent them from spreading to other parts of your property. This process can also improve indoor air quality.

  7. Structural Repairs

  If the sewage backup has caused damage to the basement structure, restoration technicians can address these issues. Some common structural damage in basements include warped floors, water-damaged walls, and corroded plumbing. Restoration professionals perform the necessary repairs to restore the integrity of the building.

  8. Final Inspection

  Once the cleanup and restoration process is complete, salvaged items will be returned, and restoration professionals will conduct a final inspection to ensure that the basement is clean, dry, and safe for use.

  Can You Prevent Sewage Backup?

  Some causes of sewage backups are unpredictable and out of your control. However, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk of these occurring:

  • Regular Maintenance: Schedule regular inspections and maintenance for your plumbing and drainage systems to catch any issues before they escalate. Homes and some businesses may only need inspections once every one or two years, but commercial and industrial facilities use their drainage more often and require more frequent inspections.
  • Proper FOG Disposal: After cooking, avoid pouring fats, oils, and grease down the drain. This will solidify when cooled and can collect hair, food, and other debris, causing clogs in the drain.
  • Avoid Large Blockages: When using the toilet, avoid throwing sanitary napkins, diapers, and baby wipes down the toilet. These toilet paper down the toilet to prevent clogs.
  • Install Backwater Valves: Install backwater valves on your sewer lines to prevent sewage from flowing back into your basement during heavy rainfall or sewer system backups. Talk to a professional about backwater valves and other backflow prevention devices.

  Call Restoration 1 for Sewage Cleanup Services

  A sewage backup in your basement poses risks to your health and property, so it’s best to avoid handling the cleanup yourself, especially without the right safety gear, equipment, and process knowledge. The best course of action is to let the professional property restoration professionals handle the damage and get your property back to its original state by cleaning sewer backup in the basement efficiently and effectively.

  Restoration 1 is a trusted name for efficient property restoration solutions. If your home or business has been affected by sewage backup, contact our team for 24/7 emergency services to take the first steps to protect your property immediately.