One of the biggest headaches and messes is dealing with sewage issues. Sewage brings its own set of risks ranging from health hazards and property damage. Sewage is automatically something most property owners find disgusting, but odds are a fair share of property owners aren’t aware of the risks that come with an emergency sewage situation.
Because of the severity found with sewage issues, property owners should be able to identify the dangers of sewer backups, emergency sewage hazards, and what to do when a sewer emergency arises.
How To Identify Emergency Sewage Hazards
With sewage issues come possible sewage hazards. To properly protect your property and members of your household, being able to identify the list of emergency sewage hazards is a crucial piece of knowledge.
Electrical Dangers and Fires
When water comes into touch with exposed wires or outlets, it can create a slew of dangers. Since water conducts electricity, the combination can lead to electrical shocks and possibly lead to fires. If sewage has already reached electrical outlets and appliances, stay on dry ground away from the affected area.
Contamination and Diseases
Sewage contains numerous harmful bacteria, viruses, and pathogens like E. coli, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, and Rotavirus that can lead to serious health risks. Contact with sewage physically or through the air poses risks—and that’s why getting sewage cleanup from a professional is crucial.
Chemical Exposure
Not only can sewage carry the risk of contamination and diseases, but chemicals and hazardous substances can also be found in sewage. Property owners may never know what is truly in their sewage, and those chemicals and hazardous substances pose similar risks of contamination and diseases. Be cautious and rely on the professionals.
Property Damage
Like other forms of water-related problems, sewage water can lead to property damage. Sewage water can soak into the structures of your home and can cause rot, structural damage, and loss of personal property. If these issues are not addressed, more problems may come up.
Mold
Sewage emergencies entail large amounts of moisture in your property, which means the possibility of mold growth and development. Not only can mold growth affect your property’s integrity, but it can also create health problems for those at your property. Preventing mold development and growth is a key part of keeping your property safe from any form of water-related damage.
Dangers of Sewer Backing Up
Increases Chances of Getting Sick
Clogged pipes and your sewer line backing up increase bacteria buildup that can lead to sickness symptoms such as abnormal cramping, eye and ear infections, diarrhea, ulcers, liver infections, and even muscle aches.
Mold Growth
A sewer backing up leads to the buildup of moisture which creates the perfect environment for mold to grow. Mold can lead to health issues for members of your property and spiral into structural damage.
Breathing Trouble
The presence of mold can cause respiratory problems such as asthma and allergic reactions, which can make it harder to breathe. Dampness or areas of standing water should be cleared and cleaned as soon as possible.
Tips To Identify Emergency Sewage Hazards
Property owners want to keep their property in pristine condition, and if a sewage emergency manifests, that can complicate things. These tips on how to identify emergency sewage hazards will help property owners through a sewage emergency if one strikes.
Recognize the Signs
The first tip for property owners is to be able to recognize the signs of a sewage hazard. This includes identifying electrical hazards and affected areas and items.
Check for Water Contamination
Property owners will want to differentiate between common water accumulation and water contaminated with sewage. If the water that has affected your property smells like rotten eggs and is cloudy, this may mean your water is contaminated.
Assess the Scope of Damage
Without putting yourself in a dangerous situation with possible hazards, try to assess the damage you may be dealing with.
Secure Professional Assistance
The most important thing to do in a situation of a sewage emergency is to get in contact with professional assistance as soon as you can. The professionals trained to handle these emergencies know what to do and how to do it best.
Follow Safety Protocols
The safety of yourself and others is the top priority when it comes to dealing with an emergency affecting your property. Property owners should have a grasp on the proper safety protocols for these situations and actively practice them to keep themselves and others safe.
Endnotes
No matter where you are located, contacting your local professionals to handle your sewage emergency is direly important. For those in the Seattle area with a sewage emergency, contact PureDry Restoration for highly-rated sewage cleanup services.
What To Do If Your Sewer Backs Up
If you run into a sewer backup on your property, the best thing you can do is get help from those trained to deal with these types of problems. Until help arrives, property owners should turn off the main water supply, avoid contact with sewage-affected areas, and throw away exposed items to minimize further damage to their property.
The Importance of Professional Water Damage Restoration
To keep your home in the best condition possible, turning to a company like PureDry Restoration for various water damage restoration services is the best thing property owners can do. PureDry Restoration understands the importance of water damage restoration and because of that, they offer highly-rated services with great benefits. Noteworthy services include:
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- Sewage cleanup
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- Mold removal
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- Fire and water damage restoration
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- Commercial mold removal
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- Commercial water and fire damage
Contact A Professional
If there is a sewage emergency in your Seattle home, don’t wait. Contact PureDry Restoration as soon as you can for sewage cleanup and restoration services.
