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The Reality of Sewage Leaks | SERVPRO of East Brownsville & South Padre Island
3/15/2024 (Permalink)
SERVPRO of East Brownsville & South Padre Island is always ready to respond to your call when biohazard incidents strike.
Dealing with a sewage leak might be one of the worst things you ever have to do as a homeowner or business owner—or at least the stinkiest. A sewage leak might not leave behind as much damage as some other disasters, but it still ranks high on the never-want-to-live-through list for all of us.
Sewage leaks can be common, though, and they can happen to anyone, any time. Get to know how to react when things start getting a little messy, and you can be on the road to recovery in no time.
When wastewater can’t move through your pipes cleanly, it can start to back up, finding its way out through sinks, tubs and just about any other drain it can reach. Sewage leaks can also happen if a pipe or water line cracks or is otherwise damaged.
It doesn’t really matter where it comes from, sewage leaks are not something you should handle on your own. When water leaks into your home, it is classified into three different categories—white water, gray water or black water. While white and gray water come from sources that are considered generally clean and nontoxic, black water is toxic. Sewage leaks always fall into the black water category and are considered a biohazard. They contain viruses, bacteria and other microbes that can make you sick when you encounter them.
Stay away from the leak and turn the water off to your home to stop the flow as quickly as possible. If you have pets or children, block the area so they can’t get near it. Open windows all around the leak as well to help with the fumes. Call us right away, too—we can respond day or night to start your recovery.
From the moment you contact us, we will start gathering as much information as possible in order to send our team of trained experts to your home. We are trained and certified to handle any kind of biohazard cleanup quickly and effectively—and we have all the safety equipment and tools to do it.
Once you know our team is on the way, you can spend some time snapping photos of the leak. These may not be images you ever want to see again, but the more documentation you can provide to your insurance company, the easier the claim process will be. Photos can also help us find the origin of the leak in order to correct it.
Identifying the cause of the sewage leak will be one of the first steps we take when you get to your property. We will also immediately begin removing the water and sewage. Remember that sewage leaks are considered hazardous, so you will need to steer clear for a little while as we get everything cleaned up.
Cleaning after a sewage leak entails quite a few steps, many of which will be ongoing all at the same time. We will make sure things are deep-cleaned, sanitized and free of odors. Our crew can also handle any physical damage that the leak may have caused. We make it our goal to put everything back together so you can get back to life as normal quickly.
Finding a sewage leak in your home or office isn’t just stinky, it can also be a real health hazard. Take quick action to isolate the leak and call us right away. We can handle the cleanup so you never have to see the mess again.
Sewage leaks should always be cleaned up by professionals. Call SERVPRO, and we will take care of you.