Sewer backup cleanup is a different job than clean water. When the municipal line surcharges during a heavy rain, or a root-filled lateral clogs, water comes up out of the basement floor drain carrying raw sewage. The restoration trade calls that Category 3 water, and it means porous materials it touched get removed, not dried in place.
In some older parts of the Chicago suburbs, storm water and sewage share the same pipes, and a big storm can push that mix back into basements through floor drains. Newer Plainfield subdivisions have separate systems, but a blocked lateral or a dead ejector pump does the same damage.
Our crew wears protective gear, extracts the water, and removes carpet, pad, drywall below the water line and any soft contents that were soaked. Then we clean hard surfaces with a disinfectant made for sewage cleanup, dry the space with dehumidifiers and air movers, and treat the odor at the source. Mopping and spraying fragrance does not make a sewage-soaked basement safe.
Before we start, we photograph everything. Many homeowner policies exclude sewer backup unless there is a separate water backup rider, so the photos and moisture logs matter when you call your agent. Our claim documentation page explains what we record.
Keep kids and pets out of the area until the job is done. If the drain is still bubbling, don't run the washer or flush toilets. Sewer backup cleanup usually ends with odor removal.
