Restorex Disaster Restoration is a local water damage contractor that specializes in sewage cleanup restoration services in Fishers Indiana.
Restorex is also an expert at handling insurance claims for property owners who have sewage damage.
SEWAGE CLEANUP PROCESS
When we are helping customers experiencing a sewage loss in a basement or flooded crawl space, we always go through the same restoration and cleanup process. Mitigating and remediating sewage damage can be an overwhelming and expensive process if you have never experienced it before.
Our highly trained water restoration team has the knowledge and experience to help in any circumstance and we always communicate upfront the procedures and our recommendations so our customers can make informed decisions.
The sewage cleanup process is a 7-step process:
The first part of the cleanup process is to fix the cause of the sewage damage. We always recommend the plumbing be repaired before we begin our services. It is best to hire a local licensed plumber to help you with a repair. Restorex works with many local plumbers in Fishers Indiana.
If you need a referral to a professional and reliable plumber in Fishers give us a call (317) 315-5071.
The initial sewage damage inspection is required to determine the procedures required for the cleanup and to help a property owner decide if they need to place an insurance claim for the professional cleanup services. Restorex will inspect a property first before starting the remediation, to make sure that the property owner has time to make an informed decision and for our team to determine the best course of action for the cleanup.
During the inspection, we will want to know what caused the sewage to spill into the property. Normally it is because of a broken drain pipe or a backed-up drain. Once we know the source of the Category 3 water, we can advise our customers on insurance coverage and the cost of the cleanup services.
Removing sewage water can be a difficult process depending on the source of the water and the number of contaminated solids in the water. Sewage water is called, Category 3 Water, in the restoration industry and is deemed to be grossly contaminated. Therefore category 3 water needs to be treated with care. The water needs to be properly removed and disposed of according to local laws and guidelines.
Restorex uses a trailer-mounted vacuum to remove sewage water and a large storage tank to hold the water until a professional sanitation company can properly dispose of it. Depending on the amount of water in the property or the location of the water in the property, we will use different portable vacuums and pumps. If the water damage is on the second story or a basement we will most likely use a portable vacuum. If the category 3 water damage is in a crawl space we will always use our trailer mounted vacuum system.
After the bulk sewage water and solids have been removed, the porous building materials that were affected need to be removed. These materials include carpet, carpet pad, drywall, baseboards, laminate flooring, cabinets, vanities, wood wall paneling, or any other porous material that the water contact.
These porous building materials are not able to be properly cleaned and disinfected, which is why they need to be removed. All these materials will be removed by our mitigation team and placed in large 6 mil plastic bags for disposal.
Once the porous building materials have been removed, and the supporting structure has been exposed, our team will disinfect the areas of the structure that were affected. This normally includes concrete slabs, tile floors, wood studs, or OSB subfloors. If the OSB subfloors have been heavily affected, it may need to be removed and replaced.
The product we most often use to disinfect a Category 3 water loss is Benefect. It is a plant-based disinfectant that is produced using Thyme Oil. Benefect is marketed as a botanical disinfectant and it surpasses the Environmental Protection Agency’s requirements for broad-spectrum hospital disinfectants. It is a very good product to use to disinfect homes and businesses contaminated with the sewage water.
When the structure has been properly cleaned and disinfected, it needs to be properly dried. Most of the time, pieces of the wood framing will get wet and if the wood is not dried back to its original moisture content, the property will be at risk for secondary damage such as mold growth and rot.
The dry out will normally last between 3 to 5 days depending on the severity of the water damage, and our team will use our water damage drying equipment, which is a variety of fans, dehumidifiers, and heaters. The structural drying is an important step in the sewage cleanup process.
After the drying is complete and the property has been cleaned and disinfected, we can begin the water damage repairs. Returning the property to pre-loss conditions means to replace the materials that were removed with “like kind and like quality”. This is more so if a customer has placed an insurance claim to cover the cost of the restoration.
The insurance company will pay for the like-kind of materials to be replaced in the property. When we are working with an insurance company to restore a property, we reassure our customer’s that the only out-of-pocket expense will be their insurance deductible. The remaining costs will be covered in the insurance claim.
PLUMBING ISSUES THAT CAUSE SEWAGE DAMAGE
If a customer has sewage damage, they normally are also having a plumbing issue. Drain backups in basements, toilet backups, and drain clogs are typical plumbing issues property owners experience when they have sewage damage.
TOILET OVERFLOWS
Toilet overflows are common in upstair bathrooms because there can be multiple drain lines that meet at junctions. If there are 2 bathrooms on a second story, there will likely be 2 sinks, 2 toilets and 2 showers that all meet at a main drainpipe before going down to the city sewer or septic system.
MAINLINE SEWER CLOG
Drain clogs can happen over time, no fault to the homeowner. Many times, older homes can have tree roots that will grow into the main sewer line that causes a mainline clog and backup. In this scenario, a plumber would have to excavate the yard to get access to the main sewer line to replace the pipe and remove the roots.
BASEMENT DRAIN BACKUPS
Drain Backups in Basements are common because a basement is typically the lowest point of the home. When a mainline or sewer system backs up it will always go to the lowest point first, which is the basement. To stop a basement drain from backing up, a plumber can put a plug into the drain line and cover it with cement. This can block the sewer water from backing up into the basement.
USE A PROFESSIONAL PLUMBER
It is always best to use a local licensed plumber to help with any plumbing repair and Restorex works with many reputable plumbers that we can refer to help you with plumbing repairs.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Sewage water damage is not something to take lightly. The water can be grossly contaminated and affect human health if the proper precautions are not taken. When remediating Category 3 water damage, most of the time it is best to get a professional restoration company involved to make sure the cleanup and disinfection is done properly for the safety and welfare of the occupants of the home or business.
Our team will always wear proper protection when working in a Cat 3 environment. This includes wearing Tyvek suits, gloves, N95 face masks, and eye protection. On some sewage damage projects, our team needs to wear full-face respirators.
If you are experiencing a sewage loss in Fishers Indiana and need a professional sewage cleanup company to help you remediate the damage, give us a call (317) 315-5071.
