Preventing Sewage Backup in Your West El Paso Home

8/21/2020 (Permalink)

Water from sewer system backups should be considered very dangerous. The water is grossly unsanitary and may contain bacteria and viruses that could cause serious illness. Special training and equipment are necessary to safely clean this type of contamination.

Why sewer backup can happen:

There a few reasons why sewer backup can happen, but the most common reasons are: 

• Trees - Roots can grow into pipes, create holes or cracks in them, and wrap around sewer lines. Even if you don't personally have a tree on your property, your neighbor’s tree may be the suspect in your backup. 
• Heavy rain - Excessive water can overwork pumps, and easily cause a sewage backup.
• Old or broken lines - Older homes are not uncommon and many older homes were built using cast iron and clay piping that breaks down over time and consequently causes sewer problems. 
• Foreign objects - Avoid putting anything in your toilet or garbage disposal that can cause a backup. This can include wipes, cooking grease, oils that harden at room temperature, food scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, old contact lenses, rocks, and hair.

Types of water associated with sewage backup:

• "Clean Water"

This is water from a clean source, such as a broken clean water supply line or faucet. If left untreated, "clean water" can quickly degrade into "gray" or "black" water depending on time, temperature, and contact with contaminants.

• "Gray Water"

This water has a significant level of contamination that could cause discomfort or illness if ingested. Sources for "gray water" may include washing machine overflow; toilet overflow with some urine, but no feces; or dishwasher overflow.

• "Black Water"

This water can cause severe illness or death if ingested, and any contact should be avoided. Sources of "black water" could include flooding from rivers or streams, water from beyond the toilet trap, water from the toilet bowl with feces, or standing water that has begun to support microbial growth.

Call us 24/7 at (915) 585-3434

Sewage backup should be considered an emergency and dealt with as quickly as possible. At SERVPRO® of West El Paso our trained specialists will safely restore your home or business after a sewage backup.