The last thing that anyone wants to deal with is a sewage back up in their home. When you work hard to clean your home clean and tidy, it’s a terrible experience to see the floor and surfaces covered with sewage. A sewage backup occurs when there is a drain clog that had blocked the entire drain. After you flush, the waste and water need to go somewhere, and if it cannot pass the pipe, it backs up in your home. Although this is a disgusting mess, it’s also a health hazard because the sewage contains bacteria that are harmful to come into contact with. In this area, we will look at three key areas, how to clean, sanitize and prevent a sewage backup.
How to Clean a Sewage Backup
After a sewage backup occurs, it’s natural to panic a little, but you need to keep calm and carry out the following steps to deal with the problem:
How to Sanitize a Sewage Backup
If you’re attempting to clean the area without help from your local professional plumber, make sure you’re wearing the safety equipment mentioned above. Then follow these steps in order to bring the situation under control:
How to Prevent Sewage Backups
Once you’ve cleaned and sanitized a sewage backup, you will be motivated to make sure that it never happens again. Adopting a proactive approach will be important if you want to prevent another sewage backup. Use the following measure to reduce the risks and make sure everyone in the home is following these simple rules:
A Professional or DIY Approach?
Many people will be tempted to tackle a sewage backup on their own, but it’s not as easy as you might imagine. Aside from the obvious “yucky” factor, there are practical considerations, such as taking care of your loved ones, documenting the damage, making phone calls, and many other tasks. Some people won’t have protective equipment, and dealing with sewage without the right gear can harm your health. Even if you do manage to deal with the aftermath of a sewage backup, there’s still the underlying cause to deal with. Somewhere in the drain line, there is a clog that caused the problem in the first place, and removing it safely is a job for a professional plumber. They have the skills, experience, and specialized tools to locate the clog and remove it without damaging your pipes. In some cases, a camera inspection will be required to locate a deeper clog or take a look for drain line damage.
If you have a sewage backup in your home or you’re concerned about drain line clogs, contact your local certified plumber today.
By Giovanni Longo President Flood Brothers PlumbingGiovanni Longo is a 3rd generation master plumber who has been practicing his craft and trade in the greater Los Angeles area for well over a decade and a half. A plumbing and hydraulics-engineering innovator, Giovanni's particular world-class expertise focuses on dealing with challenging sewer system designs as well as resolving complex commercial and residential draining issues. As a certified Flood Mitigation expert, he is also well versed in a wide variety of water damage and remediation solution.