Sewage Backup Is a Serious Health Hazard
A sewage backup is one of the most dangerous types of water damage a property owner can face. Unlike clean water from a burst pipe, sewage contains bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other toxic contaminants that pose immediate and serious health threats to anyone exposed. Raw sewage can carry pathogens that cause hepatitis, gastroenteritis, E. coli infections, and a host of other illnesses. This is not a situation where you can wait, and it is definitely not a do-it-yourself project.
At All Dry Water Damage Experts, our sewage cleanup team is trained to handle category 3 (black water) contamination safely and thoroughly. We follow strict safety protocols, use professional-grade personal protective equipment, and employ specialized cleaning and disinfection procedures to ensure your property is safe to occupy once our work is complete.
Recognizing the Signs of a Sewer Problem
Sewage backups do not always announce themselves with a dramatic flood. In many cases, there are warning signs that a sewer problem is developing before a full backup occurs. Knowing what to look for can help you act before a minor issue becomes a major disaster.
Common symptoms of sewer problems include:
- Overflowing toilets or sinks that do not respond to plunging or that back up repeatedly, especially when multiple fixtures are affected at the same time
- Slow draining in multiple fixtures throughout your home or business, which often indicates a blockage in the main sewer line rather than an isolated clog
- Sewage smell coming from drains, the basement, or around the foundation of your property, indicating that waste is not flowing out of the building as it should
If you notice any of these warning signs, do not ignore them. A small sewer issue can escalate into a full backup quickly, especially during heavy rains when municipal sewer systems are already under strain. Call All Dry immediately for an assessment before the situation gets worse.
Our Sewage Cleanup Process
When you call All Dry for sewage cleanup, our team responds immediately with the equipment and expertise to handle the job from start to finish. Our proven three-phase process ensures your property is not just cleaned but made truly safe again.
Phase 1: Extraction
The first priority is removing all sewage-contaminated water from your property. We use powerful truck-mounted extraction units designed to handle the heavy solids and contaminants present in sewage water. Our technicians carefully extract all standing water and sewage material, including from hard-to-reach areas like crawl spaces and wall cavities where contaminated water may have traveled.
Phase 2: Drying
Once extraction is complete, we deploy commercial-grade air movers and industrial dehumidifiers to thoroughly dry all affected areas. Sewage-contaminated moisture left behind in building materials can continue to harbor dangerous pathogens and will almost certainly lead to mold growth if not properly addressed. We monitor moisture levels with professional instruments throughout the drying process to ensure every affected surface reaches the target moisture content.
Phase 3: Disinfection and Deodorization
Drying alone is not enough when sewage is involved. After the structure is dry, we perform a comprehensive disinfection of all affected surfaces using EPA-registered antimicrobial agents that kill bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. We treat floors, walls, baseboards, and any other materials that came into contact with sewage-contaminated water.
We also perform thorough deodorization to eliminate the persistent and offensive odors that accompany sewage damage. Sewage odors can linger for weeks or months if not properly treated, permeating porous materials and making the space unpleasant and potentially unsafe. Our deodorization process neutralizes odors at the molecular level rather than simply masking them.
Do Not Attempt Sewage Cleanup on Your Own
We strongly urge property owners to avoid attempting sewage cleanup without professional help. The health risks are simply too significant. Direct contact with sewage-contaminated materials can cause illness, and improper cleanup can spread contaminants to unaffected areas of your property. Our technicians have the training, protective equipment, and specialized cleaning agents necessary to handle sewage safely.
Call All Dry Water Damage Experts at (303) 376-4179 any time, day or night, for immediate emergency sewage cleanup in Denver and the surrounding communities. We respond quickly, work efficiently, and will not consider the job done until your property is safe, clean, and odor-free.