Sewage backup is a health hazard. Do not clean it yourself.

Yes. Sewage is Category 3 water, meaning grossly contaminated, and it can carry bacteria, viruses, and other harmful agents. It is not a do it yourself cleanup. Contact with it, or with the air around it, poses a real health risk, which is why it requires protective equipment, removal of porous materials it has touched, and disinfection.

Category 3 is the most contaminated class of water damage under the IICRC S500 standard. It includes sewage backups, toilet overflows involving waste, and flood water that has come in from outside. Because it carries pathogens, the protocol is stricter than for clean water: containment, full protective equipment, removal of affected porous materials like drywall and carpet, and antimicrobial treatment.

Usually not. Porous and semi-porous materials that absorb Category 3 water, such as carpet, pad, and drywall, generally must be removed rather than cleaned, because the contamination cannot be reliably disinfected once it soaks in. Hard, non-porous surfaces can often be cleaned and disinfected. We document what must go and why, so it is defensible on your claim.

Often for the affected area, yes. We set up containment to keep the contamination from spreading, and depending on the size and location of the loss, you may need to stay out of that part of the home until it is cleaned and cleared. We will tell you honestly what is safe.

Sometimes, but not always under a standard policy. Many homeowners policies exclude sewer and drain backups unless you carry a specific backup endorsement, though water damage from a sudden internal failure may be covered. We document the source and the loss carefully so the claim reflects what actually happened, and we work directly with your adjuster.

We extract the contaminated water, remove porous materials that cannot be salvaged, clean and disinfect hard surfaces with EPA registered antimicrobials, then dry the structure to the S500 standard and confirm it with moisture readings. The goal is to return the space to a safe, pre loss condition, not just to make it look clean.

We respond 24 hours a day, because Category 3 losses get worse and more hazardous the longer they sit. The faster we contain and remove the contamination, the less it spreads and the lower the health risk and the cost.

Yes. Our IICRC WRT certified technicians follow the S500 protocols for Category 3 work, including containment, protective equipment, and disinfection. We are licensed, CSLB #1157517, and insured.

Most residential sewage cleanups take a few days, though it depends on how far the contamination spread and how much material has to be removed. Category 3 work involves containment, removing porous materials that cannot be salvaged, disinfecting, and then drying the structure to standard, which adds time beyond a simple water extraction. We give you a realistic timeline once we have assessed the extent, rather than a guess up front, and reconstruction of anything removed comes after the space is confirmed clean and dry.