SEWAGE CLEANUP

Restorex Disaster Restoration is a local water damage cleanup company that can help customers who need sewage cleanup services. We are experts in water damage restoration and can provide professional sewage cleanup services in Indianapolis Indiana.

Restorex can also help you work with your insurance company to pay for the cleaning and restoration services. We have the expertise and knowledge to help you navigate a water damage insurance claim.

Indianapolis flooded basements are common when there are heavy rains due to flooding of basement foundation walls or due to flooded sewer systems. If you need help with water damage or a sewage cleanup give us a call (317) 315-5071.

SEWAGE DAMAGE: CATEGORY 3

Sewage Damage is category 3 water and requires unique cleaning and restoration protocols. The definition is lengthy but it helps us understand how to categorize between the different types of water damage.
According to the ANSI/IICRC S500-2015 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration the definition of Category 3 water is:

“Category 3: Category 3 water is grossly contaminated and can contain pathogenic, toxigenic or other harmful agents and can cause significant adverse reaction to humans if contacted or consumed. Examples of category 3 water include, but are not limited to: sewage; wasteline backflows that originate beyond the trap regardless of visible content or color; all forms of flooring from seawater; rising water from rivers or streams; and other contaminated water entering or affecting the indoor environment such as wind-driven rain from hurricanes, tropical storms, or other weather-related events. Category 3 water can carry trace levels of regulated or hazardous materials e.g., pesticides, or toxic organic substances).”

WHY DOES SEWAGE DAMAGE OCCUR?

Sewage damage in Indianapolis can occur in several different ways.

• Toilet Overflowing
• Drain Backing up
• Broken drain line
• Sewer system flooding into basement
• Broken drainpipe in a crawlspace
• Injector pump failure in a basement

 

TOILET OVERFLOWING

This is probably one of the most common ways homes or businesses experience sewage damage also known as category 3 water damage.

Toilets overflow when the drain line has experienced a blockage and the water can not pass through. The toilet tank continues to flow and eventually, the water builds up to a level that overflows the top of the toilet bowl. The water will then find that path of least resistance.

Typically, any water that comes from beyond the trap of the toilet, is category 3 water. “Trap” is short for P-trap, which is plumbing on any drain line that maintains a certain level of water to ensure sewer gases do not make the building have a bad odor.

DRAIN BACKING UP

Like a toilet overflow, a drain backup will occur if there is a blockage in a drainpipe. When water begins to fill the pipe eventually it will back up at the entrance of the drain and find the path of least resistance.

Most drains are in basements, which is why a lot of basements can experience drain backups. If the clog occurs between the structure and the main sanitary sewer, typically the path of least resistance is the basement drain.

BROKEN DRAIN LINES IN CRAWLSPACES

The most common place for a broken drain line to occur is in a crawlspace. Most of the time a broken drain line will go unnoticed by the property for an extended period and the crawlspace can continue to collect standing black water or contaminants spilling out where the drain line has been separated.

Most residential customers do not notice the broken drain line until they begin to have a sewer smell in their home. Usually, when this occurs they will contact a plumber to investigate or take a look in the crawlspace for themselves.
A less common issue is a broken drain line inside the building or house. Drain lines from showers, toilets, sinks, hot water heaters, condensate lines, disposals, washings machines and anything else that requires a drain line all run through the walls and ceilings of a home. If one of these pipes breaks or leaks the water always finds its way downward.

SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM FLOODING INTO BASEMENT

In Indianapolis, a lot of the sanitary sewer system is combined with the storm water management system. This means that when there are heavy rains and lots of flooding, there is the potential for the combined sewer and storm water system to back up through the main drain line of a house or building. This typically happens in basements.

This can also happen if there is a clog in the sanitary sewer that won’t let the building’s wastewater to drain properly. Eventually the wastewater will build up until it backups in the lowest drain in the structure.

INJECTOR PUMP FAILURE IN A BASEMENT

An injector pump is installed in the basement that has a toilet, shower, or sink. The injector pump is designed to lift the wastewater from a pit into the sanitary sewer system. These pumps can either fail because of age or get clogged. When the injector pump stops working, the drain water will flood out of the injector pit onto the floor. This will typically occur in a mechanical or utility room in the basement.

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL SEWAGE DAMAGE CLEANUP

When there is a drain or waste line back up usually it is necessary to hire a local Indianapolis licensed plumber to fix the plumbing problem. Whether they need to use a machine to remove the clog or if they need to replace the pipe altogether, it is always best to use a licensed plumber to ensure the issue is resolved properly.

Restorex works with lots of Indianapolis licensed plumbers and can make a referral to local licensed plumbers. The cleanup process will involve some bulk removal of the category 3 water using high powered vacuums, removal of all the porous buildings materials, disinfecting and cleaning the affected surfaces that are not being removed and then drying the structure back to its original moisture content. After the building has been properly dried out the water damage repairs can begin.

SEWAGE WATER REMOVAL

Sewage water extraction requires that the water either be contained in a tank and disposed of or emptied into a sanitary drain. We use a combination of portable extractors and a tank mounted vacuum to remove category 3 water.

REMOVING AFFECTED BUILDING MATERIALS

Any porous materials that are affected by category 3 water should be removed during the mitigation process. This includes carpet, pad, drywall, insulation, baseboards, wood floors, laminate floors, cabinets, vanities etc.

SEWAGE CLEANUP SERVICES AND INSURANCE COVERAGE

Depending on the amount of category 3 water damage in a home or business, it might be best to place an insurance claim to cover the cost of the sewage cleaning services and restoration repairs.

DISINFECTING

After the porous materials have been removed, the surfaces that remain need to be cleaned and disinfected. This can be attained in a combination of ways.

There are many products available to the restoration industry to properly disinfect category 3 water. We mostly use a botanical disinfectant called Benefect. It is a plant-based product that is safe for our customers and is effective at disinfecting.

DRYING

After the structure has been properly disinfected, the water damage equipment will be used to remove the remaining moisture in the structure. We use a combination of dehumidifiers, fans, and heaters to dry out the remaining structure. The drying process will normally take between 3 to 5 days.

Once the structure is completely dry, the restoration repairs can begin. This will include replacing all the materials that were originally removed because of the sewage damage.

SEWAGE DAMAGE CLEANUP INSURANCE CLAIMS AND COVERAGE

Sewage damage cleanup can be very expensive due to the nature of the water damage. Typically, if the sewage damage is more than an average property is willing to do themselves, they may consider placing an insurance claim.
If the sewage damage was caused by a broken pipe, the insurance company should coverage the damage completely up to the limit on the policy. This is usually an easy decision for home and business owners.

If the sewage damage was caused by a drain backup or an overflow, the insurance coverage may be limited or not available. Many times, an insurance company will limit a backup or overflow situation on the policy or the property owner will need to add the coverage to the policy.

We recommend having at least $10,000.00 of coverage for drain backup or overflow if you have a finished basement. If you have an unfinished basement you can get away with $5,000.00 in coverage.

If you are an Indianapolis property owner with a basement check with your insurance agent to ensure that you are covered for any drain backup or overflow. When the insurance claim is placed and there is adequate coverage, the only cost out of pocket for our customers is the insurance deductible. Restorex will work directly with the insurance adjuster to get the costs of the sewage cleaning and restoration covered by the insurance company.

Call Restorex Today!

Sewage damage can be very dramatic and stressful while it’s happening in your home. Our team works hard to help you understand the cleaning and restoration process and to inform you on how the insurance claims process works.
We want to help keep your mind at rest and help you recover from the disaster you are experiencing. We know that most people’s largest investment is their home and we do our best to help our customers recover from a water disaster as easily as possible.

A lot of times we will encourage our customers to wait for a response from their insurance company before we begin work. We believe it helps keep everyone at a state of peace when we have answers before a stressful restoration process begins.

If you need help with a sewage damage cleanup or emergency water damage give Restorex Disaster Restoration a call (317) 315-5071.