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Dealing With Sewage Leaks | SERVPRO of Cape Girardeau & Scott Counties
3/15/2024 (Permalink)
SERVPRO of Cape Girardeau & Scott Counties is always ready to respond to your call when biohazard incidents strike.
On the list of things you never want to deal with, sewage leaks should rank pretty highly. A sewage leak at home or your office may not be the most destructive disaster that could happen, but it is likely one of the grossest ones!
Sewage leaks are actually fairly common, and they can happen to anyone at any time. The faster you can respond when things start to get stinky, the less damage and mess you will have to deal with.
Most sewage backups happen because of a block or clog somewhere in the septic system. When wastewater can’t flow down into your tank or sewers, it rises back up into just about any drain it can reach, including your sinks and showers. Sewage leaks can also happen if a pipe or water line is damaged or begins to wear down.
There are three kinds of water that can leak into your home, including white water, gray water and black water. While white water and gray water are generally considered non-toxic, black water is toxic and a biohazard. Sewage leaks are always in the black water category, and you need to stay out of them if at all possible. This kind of water can continue bacteria, viruses and other particles that can make you extremely sick.
As safely as you can, find your water shutoff valve and cut the water to your home. Open windows around the area containing the leak to allow for fresh air. Tell your family to stay away, and block off the area so any pets you have can’t get into the mess. Call us right away.
From the moment you get us on the phone, we will start putting together a restoration team. Our professional crew is trained to handle biohazard situations safely and quickly.
We will gather as much information as we can about the source of the leak so that when our team arrives they are prepared with the proper safety equipment and tools to get your home or office cleaned up.
While you are waiting for our team to arrive, take some photos of the sewage leak. While these aren’t exactly keepsakes, they can help to identify the cause and subsequent damage for insurance purposes. The more pictures you can get, the better.
When our professionals arrive, we will first attempt to identify the source of the leak in order to correct it. At the same time we will begin removing the sewage and water from your property. Because sewage is toxic, this should only be done by our trained crew with the proper protective gear on—so remember to keep everyone away.
Our cleaning process will include deep-cleaning and sanitization of the entire space. We will also ensure odors are addressed so that nothing sticks around long-term. Any other physical damage will also be repaired while we get everything put back together. Our goal is always to get your space back to normal as fast as we can.
If you experience a sewage leak, stay out of it and call us for fast restoration. We will get things cleaned up and safe so you can get back to living.
Sewage leaks should always be cleaned up by professionals. Call SERVPRO, and we will take care of you.