Sewer Backup Cleanup: What’s Safe to Keep and What Has to Go

A sewer backup is not a regular water leak. Sewage carries bacteria and viruses, and anything it soaks into can make people sick. Some things can be cleaned and sanitized; others have to go, and it isn’t always obvious which is which.

Why sewage is different

Restoration professionals sort water damage into three categories. Clean water from a supply line is Category 1. Sewage is Category 3, the most contaminated kind, along with outside floodwater. Category 3 water means porous materials it touched usually have to be removed, and everything left has to be cleaned and sanitized, not just dried.

Keep everyone safe

• Stay out of the affected area, and keep children and pets away.
• Stop using sinks, toilets, showers and the washing machine if they drain into the backed-up line.
• Don’t touch outlets or appliances near the water.
• If you must go in, wear rubber boots and gloves, and wash thoroughly afterward.

What usually has to be thrown out

• Carpet and carpet pad
• Drywall and insulation that the sewage touched, usually cut out a foot or more above the water line
• Upholstered furniture and mattresses
• Particleboard and pressed-wood furniture
• Cardboard boxes, paper, books and most fabric items
• Food, and anything used for food, that the water reached

What can usually be cleaned

Hard, non-porous surfaces can generally be cleaned and sanitized: concrete floors, tile, metal, glass and hard plastic. Solid wood furniture can sometimes be saved depending on how long it sat. When in doubt, photograph it for your insurance claim before deciding.

How professional sewer backup cleanup works

1. The sewage and contaminated water are removed.
2. Materials that can’t be saved are removed and disposed of.
3. Everything left is cleaned, sanitized and deodorized.
4. The area is dried to prevent mold.
5. Drywall, flooring and anything else removed is rebuilt.

Lingering smell after a backup? Recoveron also handles odor removal and decontamination.

Does insurance cover a sewer backup?

Often only with an added endorsement. Many standard homeowners policies exclude sewer and drain backup unless that coverage was added, so check your policy or ask your agent. Document everything with photos before anything is removed. Recoveron is a preferred vendor for major insurance companies and can help with the claim.

Sewer backup cleanup, 24/7

Recoveron handles sewer backup cleanup in Green Bay and across Northeast Wisconsin, day or night. Call 920-469-3473.