Sewage backup cleanup in Miami homes and condo units

The IICRC S500 standard places sewage and toilet backflow from beyond the trap in Category 3, water that is grossly unsanitary and can carry pathogens. Anything porous that sewage soaked, such as carpet, pad, drywall and insulation, is generally removed rather than cleaned.

Even a gray-water overflow can become Category 3 if it is left too long. Water from a toilet with urine but no feces starts as Category 2, but left untreated for more than about 48 hours it can degrade to Category 3.

Before anything is removed, we close off the affected rooms with plastic sheeting and set up a clean path in and out. That keeps contaminated debris from being tracked through hallways and keeps air from the work area away from the rest of the home.

Crew members wear protective suits, gloves, boots and respirators, and they change out of them at the edge of the work area. Bagged debris goes straight out of the house rather than through living spaces.

• Plastic sheeting around the affected rooms
• Air scrubbers to filter the air in the work area
• Protective gear removed at the containment edge
• Debris bagged and carried out on a set path
• Children and pets kept out until cleaning is done

Carpet, pad, upholstered items, mattresses and the bottom of any drywall the sewage reached come out. We cut the drywall above the highest wet point and remove insulation from the wall cavity behind it.

Tile, sealed concrete, terrazzo, metal and many solid wood pieces can be saved. Those surfaces are scrubbed, rinsed and disinfected, and the slab and wall framing are cleaned before drying equipment goes in.

A backup means something downstream is blocked or broken, often a main line clog, root intrusion or a collapsed pipe. Cleanup removes the damage, but the line has to be cleared by a plumber or the backup will come right back.

In the meantime, avoid flushing, running the dishwasher or doing laundry. In a condo, a backup in a lower unit may come from a shared stack, so we work with building management on where the line runs and who handles the repair.

Once the area is clean, air movers and dehumidifiers dry the slab, framing and any remaining wall surfaces. We take readings daily and keep containment up until the room reaches its dry targets.

Before containment comes down, the room is cleaned again and checked for any remaining debris or odor. Rebuilding starts only after the structure is dry and the drain line has been repaired.