Sewage Damage Tips

10/17/2016 (Permalink)

Sewage is one of the most dangerous substances to enter homes or buildings. It contains fungi, bacteria and viruses, many of which are disease causing. Unfortunately, many people fail to understand hazards that sewage presents, particularly for the very young or very old, or for  those with compromised immune systems or respiratory problems. Keep SERVPRO of E. Jackson & SE> Ingham Co.in mind when dealing with these situations. We are on call to serve you 24/7 at (517) 782-8533.

Here are the key principals homeowners should know about sewage back ups:

• Sewage contains a variety of pathogenic - disease causing - fungi, bacteria, viruses and parasites. Anyone working with a sewage loss must be up to date on vaccinations, including one for Hepatitis B.
• Sewage exposure is particularly dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, including anyone under two or over sixty, those who are pregnant, ill, recovering from surgery, on prescription drugs or chemotherapy.
• It is not safe to stay in buildings that have flooded with sewage unless the contaminated area can be completely sealed off and placed under controlled air flow so that there will be no cross contamination of unaffected areas.
• Highly absorbent sewage-saturated materials, such as carpet, pad, upholstery, bedding, wicker, paper or even fabrics that can't be washed in hot water for at least 10 minutes, must be contained and disposed of properly. This goes for sewage-saturated drywall, insulation and several other structural materials too.
• There is simply too great a health risk involved if any of these materials are dried in place and cleaned only.
• Only the most highly trained professionals should attempt sewage remediation work.