Containment first
The affected rooms are sealed off and negative air is set up where needed, so the rest of the property is not walked through and contaminated during the work.
Sewage Backup Cleanup in Austin
A drain backing up into a tub or across a floor is a health hazard, not a mess to mop. Austin Restoration Pros contains it, removes the contaminated material, disinfects what stays and dries the structure afterwards.
- 24/7 Emergency Response
- Upfront Quotes
- Drying & Repairs
Stop and Keep Everyone Out
- Waste water coming up a shower, tub or floor drain
- Toilets bubbling when the washing machine drains
- Every fixture in the building draining slowly at once
- A strong sewer smell indoors or at a cleanout
- Wet carpet next to a bathroom or laundry wall
Stop running water anywhere in the building, appliances included, because every gallon you send down adds to what is coming back. Close the room off, keep children and pets out, and do not pour drain chemicals in: they make the cleanup more dangerous for whoever opens the line. Leave the air conditioning off so the system does not circulate contaminated air.
What the Service Includes
Sewage work is handled with protective equipment and containment from the start, and the cleanup is documented as it goes.
Removal of porous material
Carpet, pad, soaked drywall, insulation and affected cabinet bases are cut out and bagged. These do not get cleaned and kept once sewage has been in them.
Cleaning, disinfection and drying
Hard surfaces and framing are cleaned and treated, the room is dried with monitored equipment, and the rebuild follows only once the readings are right.
Why It Backs Up Here
Older parts of central Austin still have drain lines that were laid decades ago, and the mature trees that make those streets pleasant send roots into any joint that is already weeping. In newer slab subdivisions the more common causes are a blocked main line, a collapsed section or heavy rain overwhelming the system. Whichever it is, clearing the blockage is a plumber's job. The cleanup afterwards is ours, and the two need to happen in that order.
Apartments and condos with shared walls add a wrinkle: a backup in one unit often means the units either side or below need checking too. Once the contamination is dealt with, the building still has to be dried, which is covered on the structural drying page, and material that stayed wet too long can lead to mold remediation. Standing waste water is removed the same way as any other emergency extraction job, with far more protective equipment.
Austin Restoration Pros covers Austin and nearby towns, including Kyle. Check the service areas page for the rest.
Sewage Cleanup Questions
Is sewage in the house actually dangerous?
Yes. It carries bacteria and viruses, and drying it out does not make it safe. Keep people and pets out of the room, do not walk through it and back into carpeted areas, and leave the cleaning to a crew with the right protective equipment and disposal route.
What has to be thrown out?
As a rule, anything porous that absorbed it: carpet and pad, soaked drywall and insulation, particleboard cabinet bases, mattresses and soft furnishings. Sealed hard surfaces, tile, framing and the slab are cleaned and kept. Austin Restoration Pros lists what is going before anything is removed.
Can I run the air conditioning to clear the smell?
No. Running the system pulls contaminated air through the ducts and spreads it into rooms that were fine. Leave it off, keep the affected rooms closed and let the crew set up the right ventilation instead.
Do you clear the blockage as well?
No. Clearing or repairing the drain line is a plumber's work, and it needs to happen first, otherwise the next use of a fixture undoes the cleanup. Austin Restoration Pros deals with everything the waste water touched once the line is running again.
Deal with a sewage backup in Austin
Stop using water in the building, close the room off and call.