Who Should You Call for a Sewage Backup?
Call a plumber for the blockage and a sewage removal crew for the sewage in the house. If neighbors are backed up too, add the city sewer department. For the removal side, call Sewage Backup Removal Pros at (888) 578-6508, 24/7.
The Plumber Works on the Pipe
The plumber finds why the sewage came up. A drain machine, a camera and sometimes a high-pressure water jet clear the stoppage and show whether roots, grease, a break or a sagging section is behind it.
Fixing or replacing sewer pipe is plumbing work, and so is installing a backwater valve. The removal crew does neither of those, and a crew that offers to do so is working outside its trade.
Ask the plumber to write down what was found and where. A clear cause helps the insurance conversation later.
- Clears the blockage in the drain or sewer pipe
- Runs a camera to find roots, breaks or low spots
- Fixes damaged pipe
- Writes a short report on the cause
Sewage Backup Services That Fit This Question
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City Sewer Backup Removal
When the public main overloads, sewage rises in basements. Crews pump it out, remove soaked materials and sanitize.
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Main Sewer Line Backup Removal
A blocked main sends sewage up several drains. Crews extract each wet room and sanitize the whole area.
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Toilet Sewage Backup Removal
Sewage over a toilet rim reaches the subfloor fast. Crews extract, remove soaked flooring and sanitize the bathroom.
The Removal Crew Works on the House
The crew deals with what the pipe left behind. It arrives in protective gear, pumps out the standing sewage, cuts out the carpet, pad, drywall and insulation the sewage soaked, and carries them away.
Then the crew scrubs and disinfects the surfaces that stay and sets LGR dehumidifiers and air movers. Daily moisture readings under IICRC S500 show when the structure is dry.
Photos, item lists and moisture logs go into a file for the insurance claim. Crews take calls around the clock, and a call at 2 a.m. gets the same urgent treatment as one at noon.
- Pumps out standing sewage
- Cuts out and hauls away soaked porous materials
- Disinfects and dries the structure
- Keeps records for the claim
The City, the Landlord and the Insurer
When several homes on a street back up at once, or the plumber finds the stoppage out in the street main, the city sewer or public works department should know. The city looks after the main, and the owner looks after the pipe from the house to the main.
A renter calls the landlord or property manager first, because the owner approves work on the building. A condo owner tells the association right away if the drain is shared.
Your insurer needs a call too. Many standard policies leave out sewer and drain backup unless an endorsement was added, so ask how yours reads, and save the photos and the plumber's findings.
- City sewer department for a blocked street main
- Landlord or manager first for renters
- Condo association for shared drains
- Insurer for the claim and the coverage question
The Best Order of Calls
Stop using water first. Then make the calls in whatever order is fastest, since the plumber and the removal crew do not depend on each other to begin.
If sewage is still rising, the plumber should reach the blockage early so the crew is not pumping against the flow. Do not wait for the plumber to finish before calling for removal, since sewage soaks in while the pipe work goes on.
Keep the numbers of both trades handy after the job is done. A second backup is a good reason to ask the plumber about a camera inspection.
- Stop all water use in the house
- Call a plumber for the blockage
- Call Sewage Backup Removal Pros at (888) 578-6508
- Report the loss to the insurer and photograph the damage
Sewage in the crawl space? Call now (888) 578-6508
More Sewage Backup Questions
Who Should You Call for a Sewage Backup: More Answers
Can the removal crew clear the clog?
No. Clearing a blockage and fixing sewer pipe are plumbing jobs. The crew handles the sewage that already came into the house: pump-out, tear-out, sanitizing and drying.
Who do I call at night?
Call a plumber who offers emergency service and a removal crew that works 24/7. Sewage keeps soaking in overnight, so waiting for morning means more to cut out.
I rent. Should I call the landlord first?
Yes. Call the landlord or manager right away, since the owner approves work on the building. Photograph your own belongings, because renters insurance may cover them.
What if the plumber says the blockage is in the city main?
Call the city sewer or public works department to report it. The crew still removes the sewage that reached your house.
Water damage gets worse by the hour. Call now to get sewage backup removal started, 24/7.