Is sewage water dangerous to touch?
Yes. Sewage water carries bacteria and other pathogens, and it can cause infection through the skin, the eyes or the mouth. It should not be touched without protection, and anything it has touched should be handled as contaminated until it has been cleaned and disinfected.
Keep children and pets out of the affected area. Do not wade through the water, and do not use household cleaners on it before the crew has assessed the room. If you have touched the water, wash your hands and any exposed skin thoroughly with soap and clean water.
Anyone who has an open wound, a weakened immune system or a health condition should avoid the affected area entirely until the crew has finished. A doctor should be consulted if symptoms appear after exposure.
Can carpet and drywall be saved after a sewage backup?
Usually not. Porous materials that have been in contact with sewage, including carpet, pad, drywall and insulation, are normally removed because they cannot be cleaned and disinfected to a safe state. Hard non-porous surfaces, such as sealed tile, can often be cleaned and kept.
The removal is not a judgment about the quality of the material. Carpet and pad hold contamination in their fibers and foam, and drywall absorbs water and waste into its paper and core. Both are removed to prevent the contamination from staying in the building.
Hard surfaces are cleaned and disinfected, and the technician confirms each one before it is kept. Surfaces that are cracked, grouted with porous material or that show staining after cleaning may also be recommended for replacement.
Who should be called to fix the drain or sewer line?
A plumber should inspect and repair the drain or sewer line that caused the backup, and the restoration crew will recommend that check. The cause must be fixed before the cleaned room is used again, because a blocked or overloaded line will back up again.
The plumber checks the line for blockage, root intrusion, collapse or an overloaded connection, and decides what repair is needed. The restoration crew describes the path of the water and any other drains it reached, so the plumber knows where to look.
Sewer line repairs can involve the municipal system as well as the private line. Check with the plumber about which part of the line is yours and which part is the responsibility of the city before work begins.
What should I do with belongings that were in the water?
Photograph the belongings and the water before they are moved, and keep them out of the house if possible until the crew has assessed them. Porous items that were in contact with sewage, such as upholstered furniture, bedding and paper, are usually discarded, and the insurer may want to see them first.
Hard items, such as metal tools, glass and some plastics, can often be cleaned and disinfected. The crew can advise which items to keep, which to clean and which to discard. Do not wash contaminated clothing or linens in the home machines before the crew has advised.
A written list of what was lost, with photographs and approximate values if you have them, helps the insurer. The insurer decides what is covered, and the Alabama Department of Insurance asks consumers to contact the insurer first.
What decides the price of a sewage cleanup?
The area reached by the water, the number of materials that must be removed, the level of disinfection needed, the protection the crew requires and how long the drying takes all move the scope. The price is explained and approved before any work begins.
A backup through a single floor drain that reached a small basement area is a limited job. A backup that spread through several rooms and into the walls and subfloor is a larger one, with more removal and more drying. The estimate lists each part of the scope so you can see the work.
The plumbing repair that stops the backup is priced separately by the plumber. The restoration crew tells you what was affected so the plumber and the insurer have a clear record of the damage.
