Did you know sewage backup is not just disgusting but a serious health hazard as well! Here’s everything you need to know about a sewage backup!
Sewage backups can occur during periods of heavy rainfall when your city’s sewer system is unable to handle the excess water, causing it to overflow on your property. The water that emerges from your plumbing can cause serious damage to your home or property, especially on the ground floors. Plus, it smells really bad as well!
Typically, the most severe sewer backups happen on the main line which is the pipe where all your drains eventually lead to. If this is the case, you shouldn’t run any water in your property or flush any toilets. However, sewage backups in your home can also result from other reasons such as blockages due to tree roots, damaged sewer lines, etc. The first indications of a blockage or clog in the sewer line are gurgling toilets and malfunctioning drains.
Health Risks of Sewage Backups
Sewage contains greywater from dishwashers, showers, tubs, and sinks, or worse – black water i.e. water used to flush toilets combined with human waste.
Sewage, particularly black water contains contaminants such as viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria. Hence, if you come in contact with it, there’s a high risk of you catching fatal diseases such as encephalitis and hepatitis A.
Mold growth is another problem that accompanies a sewage backup. Since mold growth only requires organic material, moisture, and humidity, sewage backup provides ideal conditions for it to thrive. Inhalation of mold spores can aggravate asthma symptoms and allergies, especially in young children and individuals with compromised immune systems. What’s worse is that mold can grow within 48 hours of the incident.
What to Do in Case of a Sewage Backup
In case of a sewer backup that channels waste inside your property, you should shut off any water going into the drains. Also, switch off the electricity if the water reaches near the electrical outlets.
Sewage backup tends to worsen with time. This means that the longer you wait to deal with it, the more damage to your home or commercial property. Without immediate and thorough intervention, your walls, furniture, and carpet can all get ruined. Moreover, rectifying a sewage backup problem presents certain challenges and very real dangers such as electrocution.
Thus, your immediate course of action should be to call a professional water damage restoration company. At Service Team of Professionals, our expert technicians offer sewage backup restoration services.
Some of the steps our team takes to restore your home or property include:
- Pump out toxic contaminated water
- Assess and repair the source of the sewage backup
- Use specialized equipment to expedite the drying process
- Decontaminate your space using pro-grade sanitizing tools. This helps to remove mold and bacteria, thereby preventing health risks and preserving your belongings and infrastructure.
Last Few Words
STOP has more than 40 years of experience to restore your home or business property to safety as soon as possible.
To get in touch with our team, call us at 704-419-8587 or visit our website now!
