Dangers of DIY Sewage Flood Cleanup

Contacting sewage removal services immediately when experiencing sewage backup is the best approach compared to doing it yourself. With sewage backup, there are dangers associated, such as contaminated water that can cause severe illnesses. Blocked water pipes may also lead to the destruction of properties. Sewage removal and cleanup need professionals with the right training and equipment. The team of professionals will greatly help protect your home from further damage. All you need is to do is search for a sewage cleanup near me.

Causes of Sewer Blockages

There are several causes of sewer blockages, but it is hard to detect some until the damage occurs. However, some causes are easy to detect and prevent. The following are common sewer blockage causes.

Structural Problems

The structure of your sewage system may need reconstruction or replacement if they are faulty hence causing blockages. For example, the sewage system pipes can be misaligned, collapse or develop cracks or holes. Solving these pipe problems will require you to contact cleanup professionals for the reconstruction and replacement.

Solid blockages

Solid objects like garbage, diapers, and plastics can cause sewage blockages. These things cause blockage by creating a backup in the pipeline between your home and the city main. Avoid flushing down these items to avoid clogging and backups. Also, avoid letting hair go down your drains. It may seem harmless, but hair is among the leading causes of clogging issues.

Nature’s Infiltration

Tree roots can cause sewage blockage by infiltrating the joints of the pipelines, and later they can spread throughout the channel. Once the roots are spread throughout the pipeline, they can start cracking and breaking the sewage pipes.

City Backup or Surge

If a backup in the main sewage line occurs, it causes wastewater from the lowest opening to overflow and come out through your home’s lower drains and toilets.

These are among the most common causes of sewage back-ups and clogging. Different factors may cause an increase in these incidences. It may be tempting to cut corners and do it yourself but remember sewage contains hazardous materials, and pipe layouts and designs vary in complexity. A small error could lead to costly repairs or damage to your property.

Dangers Associated With DIY Sewage Flood Cleanup

The problem of sewage flooding should be treated as an emergency and addressed immediately. Even though you can handle minor incidences of flooding yourself, sewage flood cleanup is accompanied by several risks and hence not appropriate for DIY. Doing sewage flood cleanup yourself can pose a danger to your health and home. The following are risks of DIY Sewage Flood Cleanup.

Sewage is Contaminated and Harmful

Sewage contains various hazardous materials. There is greywater in the sewage from utilities like showers, sinks, and dishwashers. It may also include materials like human waste coming from flushed toilets. These wastes are unsafe to contact without proper equipment and expertise in handling sewage. Therefore, it is advisable to get a professional to handle this. They have all that is required to carry out the entire process.

Higher Chances of Electrocution

Doing sewage cleanup by yourself increases the risk of coming in contact with fixtures like electrical lines, wires, and other equipment that may easily lead to electrocution. In case of sewage flooding, you should turn off all electrical systems. Turning it off will help prevent the risk of both electrocution and explosion. Before entering the flooded area or lighting matches, always ensure that your utility company has switched off both the electric and gas services. Taking on a DIY sewage cleanup, in this case, would be dangerous. The best approach is to let professional service companies do the work safely as they have the required expertise, equipment, and experience.

Increased Mold Infiltration Risk

If the sewage backup is not handled correctly, it can lead to the growth of molds in your home due to sewage flooding. When you handle the sewage damage yourself, it is possible that you won’t be able to dry the moisture completely. If the moisture stays in your home for more than 48 hours, molds start to grow. Contacting a professional service cleanup company to do the structural drying and dehumidification ensures the removal of sewage water and moisture thoroughly, hindering mold growth.

Higher Cleanup Costs

DIY sewage flood cleanup is more expensive than a professional service. The cost of DIY is high due to the cost needed to acquire the equipment, disinfectant, and cleaning supplies you will require during the cleanup process. Handling a sewage backup that plumbing issues have caused can be challenging in terms of identifying and correcting the underlying problems. DIYs may also lead to an increase in backups causing repeat overflows in the future. These repeat overflows call for repeat cleanups making the DIY sewage cleanup more expensive than hiring a professional service to do the job.

Potential Exposure to Pathogens

Sewage contains microorganisms like parasites, bacteria, and viruses. Only a professional service company can handle these microorganisms effectively without posing health risks to you. DIY sewage flood cleanup may expose you to dangerous pathogenic parasites, giardia lamblia, and cryptosporidium.

Additionally, coming in contact with sewage without wearing personal protective equipment can cause risks of contracting diseases like hepatitis A and encephalitis. The black water in the sewage contains contaminants like parasites, viruses, and bacteria that are a risk to your health if handled without following proper procedures. It is, therefore, best to let professionals do the sewage flood cleanup job.

Conclusion

If you want to have a safe sewer cleanup from all the above risks is best to contact a professional service company. At Restoration 1, all your sewage cleanup problems will be solved efficiently. You can look for a sewage Restoration 1 Service Company near you for swift sewage restoration services. Our company has a team of professionals who have the right equipment and training in the cleanup that you need to solve the sewage backup problem.