Sewage Backup Cleanup, What You Can and Cannot Do

Why Sewage Is Treated Differently From Other Water

Restoration crews sort water damage into three categories. Category 1 is clean water from a supply line. Category 2 is gray water, like a washing machine drain. Category 3 is grossly contaminated water, and sewage from a drain, toilet or sewer line is always Category 3.

Sewage can carry E. coli, salmonella, hepatitis A, norovirus and parasites. These germs do not stay on the surface. They wick into carpet pad, drywall, insulation, wood trim and upholstered furniture, and they keep growing as long as those materials are damp. That is why a sewage cleanup is not just a mop job. The risk is in the materials, not only in the puddle.

Clean water left standing for a day or two can also turn into Category 3 as bacteria grow. If you are unsure, treat it as sewage.

The First 30 Minutes

Your first job is to stop more sewage from coming in. Stop using all water in the house. Every flush, shower, dishwasher cycle and load of laundry sends water down the same drain line, and if that line is blocked, it comes back up at the lowest drain, usually a basement floor drain, a shower or a first floor toilet.

• Tell everyone in the home not to flush or run water.
• If you are on a city sewer and neighbors are also backing up, the problem may be in the public main. Report it to your city or sewer district right away.
• If only your home is affected, the clog is likely in your own sewer lateral, the pipe between your house and the main. A licensed plumber needs to clear it.
• Open windows if the weather allows. Sewer gas contains hydrogen sulfide, which smells like rotten eggs. If the smell is overwhelming or anyone feels dizzy, get out and call the fire department.

Keep children, pets, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with a weak immune system away from the area until it has been cleaned and dried.

What You Can Clean Yourself

A homeowner can safely handle a small spill that stayed on hard, nonporous surfaces. Think of a floor drain that burped a few gallons onto sealed concrete, or a toilet that overflowed onto a tile floor with no carpet nearby and no water under the baseboard.

For that kind of spill you need gloves, boots, eye protection and a good disinfectant. Scoop or squeegee solids into a heavy bag. Wash the surface with hot water and detergent first, because disinfectant does not work well on dirty surfaces. Then apply a disinfectant and leave it wet for the full contact time on the label. A common household mix is 1 cup of plain bleach in 5 gallons of water, which is about 1 part bleach to 80 parts water, used only on nonporous surfaces and never mixed with ammonia.

Toilets, tubs, sinks and metal fixtures can be washed and disinfected. Hard plastic toys can be washed and soaked in a bleach solution, then rinsed and air dried. Dishes and cookware that touched sewage should be washed and then disinfected before use.

What Almost Always Has to Go

This is the part people struggle with most. Materials that soak up sewage are very hard to disinfect all the way through, so the standard practice is to remove and discard them.

• Carpet and pad soaked by sewage. The pad acts like a sponge, and professional guidance treats Category 3 carpet as a loss.
• Drywall and insulation that got wet. Crews usually cut drywall at least 12 inches above the highest wet line, sometimes higher if water wicked up.
• Upholstered furniture and mattresses that were soaked.
• Particleboard furniture and cabinets that swelled.
• Food of any kind that touched sewage, including canned food with dented or rusted cans. Food in sealed, undamaged cans can be saved if you remove labels, wash and disinfect the cans, and relabel them.
• Stuffed toys, pillows and baby items that got wet.

Solid wood furniture, some hardwood floors and concrete can often be cleaned and dried. Clothing that can be washed in hot water with detergent is often saveable. Take photos of everything before it goes out, because your insurer or a landlord may want to see it.

What a Professional Crew Actually Does

Knowing the process helps you judge an estimate. A sewage job usually follows these stages.

1. Containment. The crew seals off the affected area with plastic sheeting so contamination does not spread through the house.
2. Extraction. Truck mounted or portable pumps remove standing water and sludge.
3. Removal. Soaked carpet, pad, drywall, insulation and trim are cut out and bagged.
4. Cleaning and disinfection. Remaining surfaces like studs, subfloor and concrete are scrubbed and treated with a disinfectant.
5. Drying. Air movers and dehumidifiers run for several days while the crew checks moisture with meters. Framing should reach normal moisture levels before anything is rebuilt.
6. Verification. Good crews record moisture readings each day and share them with you.

The industry reference for this work is the IICRC S500 standard for water damage restoration. Ask whether the crew follows it. A crew that wants to just spray a disinfectant on wet carpet and leave fans running is not following it.

Insurance and Who Pays

Many people learn after the fact that a standard homeowners policy does not cover sewer or drain backup unless a separate water backup endorsement was added. Look at your declarations page for words like water backup, sewer backup or sump discharge. The endorsement often has its own lower limit.

Call your insurer the same day even if you are not sure you are covered. Take wide photos of each room, close photos of the waterline on walls, and photos of every item you throw out. Keep a small cut sample of carpet and pad in a sealed bag if you can do it safely. Save every receipt for supplies, hotel stays and plumber visits.

If the backup came from a blocked public sewer main, the city or sewer district may accept a claim. There are usually short deadlines for claims against a public agency, so ask about the process in the first days. Renters should notify the landlord in writing, since the building structure is the owner’s responsibility. Renters insurance may cover your belongings if you have backup coverage.

Preventing the Next Backup

Most home backups come from a clog in the private sewer lateral. The usual causes are tree roots, grease, wipes labeled flushable, and older clay or cast iron pipe that has cracked or sagged.

• Ask the plumber to run a camera inspection after clearing the line. It shows roots, breaks and sags so you know whether a repair is needed.
• Flush only toilet paper. Wipes, paper towels and feminine products do not break down.
• Pour grease into a can and throw it in the trash, not the sink.
• If your lowest drain sits below street level, ask a plumber about a backwater valve, which lets sewage flow out but closes when it tries to flow back. Many cities require a permit to install one.
• Know where your cleanout is. It is often a capped pipe near the foundation, and a plumber can use it to clear the line without pulling a toilet.

Step by Step

1. Stop All Water Use

   Tell everyone in the home not to flush, shower or run appliances. Every gallon you send down the drain can come back up the lowest drain in the house.

2. Check for Electrical Danger

   If water is near outlets, cords or appliances, do not step in it. Turn off the breaker for that area only if you can reach the panel from a dry spot. If you cannot, call your utility or an electrician.

3. Clear People and Pets Out

   Move children, pets and anyone who is pregnant, older or sick away from the area. Close the door to the room if you can and open outside windows for fresh air.

4. Call a Plumber and Your Insurer

   A licensed plumber needs to clear the blockage before cleanup starts. Call your insurance company the same day to open a claim and ask whether your policy has water backup coverage.

5. Photograph Everything

   Take wide photos of each room and close photos of the waterline, the drain and damaged items. Do this before anything is moved or thrown out.

6. Suit Up Before Touching Anything

   Put on rubber boots, heavy gloves, goggles and an N95 respirator. Cover any cuts on your hands and arms with waterproof bandages first.

7. Remove Solids From Hard Floors Only

   If the spill is small and on tile or sealed concrete, scoop solids into a heavy bag and tie it off. Leave soaked carpet and walls for the crew.

8. Wash, Then Disinfect

   Scrub hard surfaces with hot water and detergent first. Then apply a disinfectant and let it stay wet for the time on the label before rinsing and drying.

9. Clean Yourself and Your Gear

   Wash boots and reusable gear with detergent and disinfectant. Throw away disposable gloves and rags. Wash your hands and any exposed skin with soap and clean water.

Mistakes That Make It Worse

• Using a household vacuum or carpet shampooer on sewage. It spreads contamination through the machine and into other rooms.
• Trying to disinfect soaked carpet and pad in place. The germs live in the pad and subfloor where spray cannot reach, and the smell usually returns.
• Mixing bleach with other cleaners. Bleach and ammonia make toxic chloramine gas, and bleach with acids makes chlorine gas.
• Running the washing machine or dishwasher before the line is cleared, which pushes more sewage into the house.
• Throwing items out before photographing them, which can make an insurance claim harder to prove.

Where You Live Matters