What To Do After Your Septic System Causes A Sewage Backup In Your Home
Septic system failure can lead to a sewage backup in your home. This messy problem requires homeowners to take a few key steps to ensure their health and safety while getting the home back to normal. The following steps can help you to recover from a sewage backup in your home.
Evacuate The Home
Your first step should be to get everyone living in the home evacuated. Raw sewage carries with it a host of diseases, which can make your family seriously ill. Take immediate action to move everyone to a secondary location, whether it is a friend's house or a hotel. If you will be handling the cleanup in the home, do not re-enter until you have acquired protective clothing, including rubber gloves, face masks and waterproof boots.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Once you have found appropriate shelter for your family, contact your insurance company to inform them of the issue. If your insurance policy covers this type of flooding, your claims adjuster can begin to handle your claim. You may also be able to have the cost of your hotel room covered during the cleanup process, depending on the type of coverage you have for your home.
Contact The Electric Company
Ideally, you should turn off the power to your home as you are evacuating the building; however, if the breaker box for your home is located in the flooded area, you should contact the utility company to turn off the power instead. Wading through water to shut off the power manually can pose an electrocution hazard, and your personal safety should be your top priority as you set to repair the damage from your backed-up septic system.
Shut Off The Water
Leaving the water in your home running can exacerbate the flooding problem. Shut off the water supply and instruct anyone still in the home to avoid using the toilets. You may also need to shut off power to your HVAC system if your system operates on steam. Your professional plumber can tackle this task for you and begin the work of pumping out the sewage and repairing your septic system.
Air Out The Home
Open all the windows and doors to help circulate fresh air into the home. Once the sewage has been removed and it is safe to turn the electricity back on, you can run exhaust fans and dehumidifiers to help dry out the house. Be sure to wear face masks until the home is completely cleaned and aired out to avoid breathing in any contaminants or toxic fumes.
Clean Out The Damaged Items
You should remove any damaged furniture, carpeting, clothing, food and other personal items from the home. Any drywall that was damaged by water should also be removed. If you prefer not to handle the cleanup yourself, you can contact a water damage restoration company to help dispose of damaged items and to salvage items that can be restored.
Schedule Regular Septic System Inspections
Once your plumber repairs the septic system, be sure to schedule an inspection and preventative maintenance appointment for your system. Having the septic tank and plumbing inspected regularly can prevent your home from experiencing another backup.
Having your septic system back up is a potentially messy and frustrating experience. Knowing what to do to handle the situation can reduce some of the stress and help you get your home back to normal. For help with any septic system issues, contact a company like B & B Drain Tech Inc.