Sewer backup: this one is a health hazard first, a water loss second.

A backup through floor drains or fixtures puts Category 3 water — the industry term for grossly contaminated — into your living space. This is the one water loss where "wait and see" is genuinely dangerous.

The short answer

Sewage is Category 3 water: it carries bacteria, viruses, and parasites, and everything porous it touches (carpet, pad, drywall, cardboard) is a removal, not a cleanup. Keep people and pets out of the affected area, do not run the HVAC if it can pull air from that space, and do not handle contaminated materials without protection. Like sump failures, sewer backup usually needs its own endorsement — "water/sewer backup" — to be covered.

Do this right now

Keep children and pets away from the affected area entirely.
Do not run the furnace or AC if returns can pull air from the contaminated space.
Skip the shop-vac — household vacuums aerosolize contaminated water.
Photograph from the doorway; do not wade in for better angles.
Wash immediately with soap and warm water if skin contacted the water.

What we do about it

1.Contain the area. Containment barriers and controlled airflow so the contamination stays where it started. This is where sewage jobs are won or lost.
2.Remove contaminated materials. Porous materials that contacted sewage are removed under PPE and disposed of properly — documented item by item for the claim.
3.Clean, disinfect, verify. Hard surfaces get cleaned and treated with antimicrobials; the space is dried to standard afterward. CDC and IICRC S500 protocols, not a mop and bleach.
4.Document and bill. Cause, affected area, removed materials, treatment, and drying — the full file. If you carry the backup endorsement, we bill the carrier directly; you cover the deductible.

Other water losses we handle: burst pipe · sump pump failure · water heater leak · appliance leak — or start with what to do right now and common questions.

Sewer backup FAQs

Is a sewage backup actually dangerous, or just gross?

Actually dangerous. Category 3 water carries pathogens that cause GI illness and skin/wound infections, and contaminated porous materials keep hosting them after the surface looks dry. It is the one loss category where professional PPE, containment, and disposal are not optional extras — they are the job.

What gets thrown away vs. cleaned?

The porous/non-porous line decides it: carpet, pad, upholstered items, cardboard, and sewage-soaked drywall go; sealed concrete, metal, and glazed surfaces clean and disinfect. We document every removed item with photos — that inventory is a claim exhibit, not just a receipt.

Water is not a wait-and-see problem.

A live person answers 24/7 and a crew can usually be on site the same day across the Chicago suburbs.

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