Sewage Backup After Heavy Rains

4/18/2019 (Permalink)

Dealing With Sewage Backup After Heavy Rains

Heavy rains in Raleigh, NC might have resulted in a sewer backup inside your commercial building. Not only is the smelly, black water unsightly and unbearable, it also poses a health risk. Knowing how to react to such a situation is vital to minimizing damage and headache as much as possible and getting your operations back on track quickly and efficiently. Put these tips to use the next time your building is ground zero for a sewage disaster and an overflow of rain water. 

1. Be Cautious of Live Electric Currents 

It’s not news that water and electricity make for a bad mix, but it’s a fact that bears repeating in these situations. Caution is of the utmost importance when cleaning up wastewater in conditions where a live electric current might be running through the water. It’s always best to ensure all electricity is shut off before dealing with a sewer backup incident.

2. Clean Up as Much Water as Possible 

Once the necessary safety precautions have been taken regarding electricity, the next step is to clean up as much of the standing water as possible. The longer water is left unattended, the bigger chance of there being a mold outbreak, which only adds to the dangers and risks of a backed-up sewer. There’s also the fact that the more damage sewage and rain water do to a building, the higher the cost of remediation is likely to be. 

3. Check to See Who Is Responsible

With backed up sewers, determining who is responsible for the issues is paramount. For instance, it might be the city that’s responsible, which could make a huge difference when it’s time to file an insurance claim. Hopefully, once the rains end, the wastewater will flow normally down the drain, allowing you to take care of any remaining water and get back to business. 

Commercial building owners need to know exactly what to do with sewer backup, excess rain water and black water incidents. A single misstep can prove detrimental in more ways than one. 
Visit http://www.SERVPROseraleighgarnerzebulon.com for more information on water damage.