If your area has experienced a great deal of rain and flooding problems, you might encounter one of the worst nightmares you can experience as a homeowner: a sewer backup. We are sewer experts in the Twin Cities, and we have a few suggestions for you on what to do if you find standing sewage water in your basement.
First and foremost, do not set foot in the water, even to grab valuable items! This puts you at risk of electrocution, not to mention health problems associated with touching raw sewage. You should call your local fire department to get them to come and safely cut the power to your home. This is treated as an emergency situation, so they should respond to your call quickly.
From there, you will need to call the plumbing experts at All Ways Drains to come to your home. We can assess the sewer problem and figure out what is causing it and the best solution to fix it. A lot of rain and flooding isn’t necessarily the only culprit. Your sewer could be backed up because of other reasons, including its age, infiltration by tree roots, clogged drains, blocked municipal lines and more. Sewer experts like us will be able to diagnose the problem and get it fixed as soon as possible.
After our work is done, you will need to get someone in to clean up the mess. The cleanup process should include wet vacuuming up all of the flood water, mopping all floors and wiping down the walls with a disinfectant, soap and water.
Your plumbing fixtures should also be flushed and wiped down with a strong disinfectant. Carpets should be steam cleaned if they are salvageable. Otherwise, you will need to get new ones if they cannot be saved. All damage should be repaired, and your ductwork will need to be cleaned as well.
There are some things you can do to help avoid a sewer backup:
- Properly dispose of food and grease. Greasy and fatty food should never be poured down your drains. Always dispose of these materials by putting them in your garbage.
- When flushing your toilets, the only things that should be flushed are human waste and toilet paper. Everything else should be thrown away in your trash can.
- Replace old pipes. Old pipes are usually made out of clay or metal. Newer ones are made out of plastic or PVC.
- Look into having a backwater prevention valve installed. These will allow water to flow out of your home but not back into your home.
Do you need help with your sewer in the Twin Cities? Call All Ways Drains at 612-922-9422 or get a Free Estimate.