Sewage damage should be cleaned by IICRC technicians

One of the biggest disasters that a proper owner may experience is a breakdown in their property sewage system. The responsibility of the exterior lines from a property into a municipality waste line will vary by city. Many cities site their responsibility for maintaining these lines once they reach the common shared lines often located near a street. Sewage lines between the home and the common line fall back onto the property owner for properly maintaining. This responsibility is often one that most property owners fail to realize until a breakdown or backup occurs. Most insurance carriers will offer coverage for the breakdown of a properties sewage line or the unexpected backup of sewage into a property.

Sewage can create significant damage to a property and should be handled with extreme urgency. The immediate priority for a restoration company will be to attempt to contain the waste and damages to as small of an area as possible. Depending on the amount of damage and areas that have been affected, the use of specialized equipment such as HEPA air breathing machines and protective jump suits will need to be worn the restoration technicians. Safety from air born toxins is one of the most important reasons to contact a professional cleanup firm immediately.

Breakdowns in a sewage line can happen just as easily in a residential building as a commercial property. The potential for interior lines to break increases by the size of the property and the number of floors a building has. One of the worst case scenarios involves the breakdown of a sewage line on the top floor of a multi story building. The process of restoring a property from sewage damage is based on the surfaces that were infected and the areas that were exposed. One of the key elements in this equation is the amount of time that the waste was exposed and the level of containment. Often in sever cases, complete reconstruction may be required for materials that were exposed. In some cases, carpeting and drywall will need to be removed and replaced as a part of the restoration process.

Personal safety is the most important issue with sewage damage. The potential for viral, bacterial or other parasitic contaminants to spread is a major concern, additionally mold and mildew can quickly begin to form. Cleaning up from a sewage disaster requires expertise in disaster recovery. Technicians that have been certified through the IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration) will have the experience to quickly implement the appropriate cleanup plan. Once the damage has been properly cleaned a restoration firm can test the quality of the air and effected surfaces to ensure that they have been properly cleaned and all dangerous pathogens have been removed.