Just the sight of grossly unhygienic black water makes your stomach turn. Sewage water is highly hazardous for humans and pets alike. If you have a sewage backup in the basement, you’re facing category three water damage – the worst water damage caused by black water.
What is Black Water?
Black water is disease-causing water containing dangerous contaminants, bacteria, viruses, animal waste, and human waste. If sewage backup comes in contact with your skin, it can cause infections and rashes. Other serious illnesses caused by black water include gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases.
Black water also exposes you to harmful bacteria, such as salmonella and E. coli, and viruses like hepatitis.
As horrific as that is, you need to take immediate action to tackle the situation at hand:
Get Professional Help
Sewage backup in the basement does not just pose health perils. The flooded area also presents electrical hazards. You will find conflicting information online about whether or not you should even enter the flooded basement. But it’s important to understand that even if you trip the circuit breaker after wearing rubber boots, it could still be life-threatening.
Because you may not have the knowledge and expertise to handle situations like these. Therefore, it’s in your best interest to call professional plumbing & drain service like Sewer Squad to save yourself (and your family) from a potential disaster.
Sewer Squad Plumbing & Drain Services has been handling these and many other water damage issues faced by Canadian homeowners in the greater Toronto area. Sewage backup in the basement does not wait for a specific time of the day. Hence, we are available 24/7 and just a call away!
Turn Off the Utilities
Locate the main water valve and gas line in your house and shut them off. Experts always recommend this action during disasters like sewage backup in the basement, flooding, or when a fire strikes. It helps avert further mishaps and control the extent of the damage.
Listed below are the tips on shutting off utilities:
Natural Gas
The gas meter configuration and shut-off process are not universal for every home. It’s best to call your gas company to figure out the safest way you can turn off the gas line in your home.
If the gas has already started leaking, you might smell it – especially near gas-powered electrical appliances. Immediately contact your gas company, shut down the supply, and open all doors and windows in such a scenario. Most importantly, leave the property as soon as possible.
If you have managed to turn off the fuel line, do not attempt to switch it back on by yourself. Wait for a licensed professional to do that for you.
Electricity
In the event of sewage backup in your basement, there is an increased risk of electrocution and electrical fires. Hence, you must cut off the supply. To do that, find out the main circuit box.
In most homes, the circuit panel can be found in the basement. But if the entire basement is flooded with sewage water, stay away. Do not enter. Once the sewage backup is removed, and drain pipes are fixed, contact a reliable electrician to repair the electrical damage, if any.
If you manage to access the circuit box safely, trip the other switches and then the main switch.
Take Pictures for Insurance Claim
It’s not an immediate action per se but a significant one. If you can do it safely without entering the area affected by the sewage backup, take pictures to record the damage. If it’s not safe to do it yourself, wait for the professionals to arrive and request them to take those pictures on your behalf.
They will serve as proof when you begin the claim process later on.
Wear Protective Gear
If you do have to enter the area in the basement where sewage backup has occurred, you must wear protective clothing. That includes rubber boots (since they are insulating), eyewear, mask, and clothes that cover you entirely. If you happen to have a Tyvek suit or a rain suit, that’s what you should wear.
Call Us!
Emergencies like sewage backup in the basement don’t wait for anyone. The trusted plumbers at Sewer Squad Plumbing & Drain Services are here to serve you 24/7 without any after-hours emergency fee!
We also provide an accurate diagnosis of your drain pipes, which tend to clog when grease starts accumulating in them. This way, you can prevent sewage backup in the basement from even happening in the first place.
Call 416-571-8499, and we will send a licensed plumber to your doorstep right away!