Sherm here! With info onsewage clean up Forest Park IL. When your home is flooded with sewage you obviously have a serious problem. It is imperative that the sewage be removed from your home immediately. Sewage can contain contaminants that can cause chronic conditions like hepatitis. Additionally, sewage in your home may contain salmonella and bacteria.The best way to have your home cleaned and sanitized is by contacting sewage remediation professionals as quickly as possible.
The proper way to clean when engaging in a sewage remediation process is both a physical and chemical one. If you are the one doing the physical or chemical part you must wear protective clothing to protect you from the contaminants in the sewage. This includes: gloves, mask, head covering, boots and jumpsuit. You will also need a large amount of disposable rags, a hose with a spray nozzle, cleaning accessories (sponges, scrub brushes) and disinfectants.
First you and your family must decide if the household items that have touched the sewage are worth saving. If you are willing to throw everything away, which is preferred, your job is much easier. The more you throw away the less you have to clean and you lessen the potential of health hazards. Obviously there will be items that you will not want or be able to discard, but anything you decide to keep must now be cleaned and sanitized thoroughly.
Remove any standing water by any means possible, as quickly as possible. To start the sewage remediation, pick a room and start cleaning. As unpleasant as it may be, remember, "there's nothing to it but to do it." The proper way to clean is with a cleaning product that is especially made to clean up sewage. Make sure all surfaces are wiped and corners soaked with the solution.
The next step is the sanitizing process. Disinfectant must be introduced to the room in a powder or spray form. Anything that was touched by sewage must be disinfected or microbes will survive and cause sickness to your family and pets.
The cleaned area now needs to be dried out. Find as many fans as you can and open as many windows and doors as possible. Do not replace your baseboards until the drying process is complete. You may want to rent a desiccant dehumidifier as drying out your home as soon as possible is very important for mold infestation prevention. If you complete the sewage remediation and there is still sewage odor, you were not thorough enough the first time. Repeat the process again, until there is no smell.
Right Way Restoration is an IICRC certified restoration company based in Atlanta, Ga. but provides services nationwide throughout the continental United States.
Sherm Here! Found this interesting article on dealing with sewage cleanup in Chicago. This raw untreated sewage can carry a variety of dangerous bacteria. These bacteria can cause bowel problems and other diseases such as Hepatitis, Cholera, Salmonella and other severe illnesses. There are some ways to minimize the possibility and severity of these diseases.
After sewage backup occurs there are some things you can do to protect yourself and your family from contamination. First and foremost, immediately call a certified sewage contamination restorer to begin proper cleaning and disinfection procedures to contain the bacteria. Never try to clean it yourself or touch the sewage with bare hands, always wear gloves and boots. This keeps any cuts or sores from being the avenue for the bacteria to enter your system. Keep children and pets away from the contaminated area until proper restorative cleaning is completed. Through out anything that has had any contact with the contamination, especially food items. Keep any contaminated items away from the mouth, nose or eyes, as these are easy points of entry for the bacteria. Washing hands frequently with an antibacterial soap for added personal protection. If you detect any difference in how you are feeling after the sewage backup, contact your doctor immediately for medical attention.
Sewage Clean Up Chicago
There can be various causes for sewage to backup into your home. Many of these problems you can personally prevent by following a few simple steps. This is true whether you have a septic system or a city sanitary system. One problem can be caused by garbage disposals installed under your sink to minimize the amount of household garbage you have to put in your garbage can. In fact, it is better to put garbage in the cans rather than a garbage disposal. A garbage disposal system cannot be used if you have a septic system unless you want sewage in your home. Even though the food products you put in the disposal are biodegradable, they still leave greases and oils behind that can eventually restrict your waste lines setting the scene for a sewer backup. Putting items in toilets are also big troublemakers. Never put disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, items that belong in your garbage instead of your septic system down your toilet. That too is a roadway to problems. A severe clog and backup will be imminent.
There are other common causes for your sewer or septic to backup. These can happen to either a septic system or city sewer system. Both can be a very costly problem.
The first problem can be a structural defect or failure. These can happen slowly over time causing major damage to your system leading to a major overflow into your home requiring major reconstruction of your system. These defects are caused by slow deterioration of your pipes and access cleanout ports. This type of damage could be from a collapsed pipe, sag in the line, cracks or holes, separated joints or misaligned pipe. If the sewage flow can't go out into the tank or city line, it will come into your house with very unpleasant results.
The second major cause of sewage backflow is tree roots that grow into your sewage discharge lines causing severe clogs. Tree roots can enter the pipe at joints and travel deep into your system causing devastating clogs, again with unpleasant results. As the roots grow the damage becomes more severe and replacement of the pipe is the only repair.
The third problem can occur to either type of system. In the event of heavy rains, like we all just encountered, the water table can get so high that your septic system has nowhere to go but into the lowest level of your house. If you have sanitary sewers you can have a similar problem. These flooding rains overwhelm the city sewer systems causing them to flood and force the backflow of sewage into your home, sometimes under heavy pressure making the damage worse.
If you have a city sanitary sewer system there is one sure way to prevent the high-pressure flooded backflow of sewage into your home. There is a valve called a backflow preventer that is a critical way to protect your home from sewage backflow.
What is a sewage backflow preventer you ask? Simply put, it is a valve that lets your wastewater out of your house into the city sanitary system, but shuts if the pressure tries to force the sewage back into your home due to some type of malfunction somewhere down the line. It is relatively inexpensive to install and should be a required part of every city system. In some towns in this country, it is now mandated that one of these backflow preventer valves be on every city line attached to your home. This valve is for city sanitary sewers only and will not work on a septic system since there is no backpressure.
If you are unfortunate enough to have a sewage backup, it is best not to try to clean it yourself. A certified water damage black water removal specialist should be called to restore your home to a healthy condition and not create undo contamination to other areas of your house. This creates a major health risk to your family and can make your problem much worse instead of better.
Check with your insurance company. Some homeowner policies cover such a loss that can save you thousands of dollars and secure the safety for your family. A sewer backup is restored much differently that a clean water loss. The certified professional cleaners have the training and experience to properly care for the welfare of your home and family.
My name is Bruce Jackson, author of this article. I have been in the cleaning industry for over 35 years and am owner / operator of my company, Jolly Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners, Inc. of Jackson, New Jersey. We clean all types of carpet, fabrics and hard surfaces. Please visit our website for a wealth of information or to get any of your fabric, carpet or grout care questions answered. [http://www.jollycarpetcleaners.com]
