Sewage Cleanup in Murfreesboro, TN

Sewage is Category 3 water: it carries bacteria and viruses. Clean water from a burst pipe can often be dried in place; sewage can’t. Porous materials it soaked, like carpet and pad, drywall, insulation and upholstered furniture, are removed and bagged. Hard surfaces are cleaned and disinfected, then everything is dried and checked before rebuild.

Main line clogs from grease, wipes or tree roots send sewage up through the lowest drain in the house, often a basement floor drain or a ground-floor shower. Heavy storms can overload sewer lines. Toilet overflows are smaller but the water is still contaminated, especially if it soaks into a subfloor or the ceiling below. Once the cleanup is done, have a plumber clear and camera the line so it doesn’t happen again.

• Protect and contain. The area is sealed off so contamination isn’t tracked through the house.
• Extract. Sewage and solids are pumped and extracted.
• Remove. Contaminated porous materials are cut out and disposed of.
• Clean and disinfect every hard surface the water touched.
• Dry and verify with moisture readings before anything is rebuilt.

• Don’t flush wipes, even “flushable” ones, or pour grease down the drain.
• Have the main line cleared and checked with a camera if drains gurgle or back up more than once.
• Ask a plumber about a backwater valve if your lowest drain sits below street level.
• Know where your sewer cleanout is so a plumber can get to it quickly.

Many standard homeowners policies exclude sewer and drain backup unless you added a backup endorsement. Check your policy, report the claim quickly and keep photos of everything before it’s removed.