Water Damage Restoration
Extraction, structural drying and moisture verification after burst pipes, appliance failures and basement flooding.
Learn more →Category 3, by definition
The IICRC classifies water into three categories. Sewage is Category 3 — grossly contaminated water containing pathogenic and toxigenic agents. That classification is not a judgment call and it drives everything that follows: containment, PPE, removal rather than drying of porous material, disinfection, and disposal as regulated waste.
It is also why sewage is the most expensive common water loss per square foot. Denver-area sewage backups typically run $2,000 to $10,000, per the cost guide.
Why Colorado sewers back up
Root intrusion in clay laterals. Large parts of Denver, Englewood, Littleton and Olde Town Arvada are built on housing stock from before the 1960s with vitrified clay sewer laterals. Cottonwood, elm and silver maple roots find the joints, and the blockage grows for years before it fully closes.
Storm surcharge. Monsoon downpours load the system faster than it can carry, and older neighborhoods with combined or partially combined drainage push that volume back up the lowest fixture in the lowest house on the block — usually a basement floor drain.
Grease and wipes. The most preventable cause and the most common single-household one. Nothing labeled flushable is flushable.
Frozen or broken mains during a hard freeze, and collapsed lines in homes where the lateral has simply reached the end of its life.
What the cleanup involves
Containment is established first: plastic barriers and negative air pressure between the affected zone and the rest of the building, so the work does not distribute contamination through the HVAC system.
Solids and liquid are extracted. Porous materials come out — carpet, pad, drywall cut well above the contamination line, insulation, particleboard cabinetry, and anything upholstered. Non-porous surfaces are cleaned mechanically and then disinfected with an EPA-registered antimicrobial. Ductwork is inspected if the water reached floor registers.
Only after decontamination does structural drying begin, with daily moisture readings until framing and slab hit dry standard. Rebuild follows.
The health side
Sewage exposure routes are ingestion, inhalation of aerosols, and contact through broken skin. Common outcomes are gastrointestinal illness, skin infection and respiratory irritation. If anyone in the household develops symptoms after exposure, that is a doctor conversation, not a restoration one.
Practical rules while you wait: nobody in the area without boots, gloves, eye protection and a respirator. Do not run the HVAC system, which distributes aerosols building-wide. Do not eat anything that was stored in the affected area, including sealed packaging.
Prevention worth doing
A camera inspection of the lateral is inexpensive and tells you whether roots are already in. Backwater valves stop street-side surcharge from entering the house and are worth the install cost in an older low-lying property. Annual rodding on a line known to have root intrusion beats an annual backup.
Step-by-step guidance for the moment it happens is in our sewage backup emergency guide. Coverage questions are covered in the insurance claims guide.
More services
Explore our other services
Fire & Smoke Damage
Soot removal, odor control and cleanup of the firefighting water that usually does more damage than the flames.
Learn more →Mold Remediation
Containment, removal and moisture-source correction when water sat long enough for mold to take hold.
Learn more →Storm & Hail Damage
Roof tarping, water intrusion cleanup and documentation after Front Range hail and wind events.
Learn more →Structural Drying
Air movers, dehumidifiers and daily moisture readings until framing, subfloor and drywall hit dry standard.
Learn more →
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
What do I do the moment sewage comes up a drain?
Stop running water anywhere in the house, including washing machines and dishwashers, because every gallon you send down makes the backup worse. Keep people and pets out of the area. Cut power to the affected space at the breaker if you can do it without walking through the water. Then call a plumber and a restoration contractor.
Why can't I just mop it up and bleach it?
Because sewage carries bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemicals, and because bleach on a porous surface sanitizes the surface while leaving the material underneath contaminated. Carpet, pad, drywall and particleboard that took sewage are removed, not cleaned. Household mopping also aerosolizes contaminants.
Does insurance cover sewer backup?
Usually only with a water backup or sewer backup endorsement added to the policy. Base homeowners policies commonly exclude it. The endorsement typically costs a modest annual amount against a cleanup that runs $2,000 to $10,000, which makes it one of the better-value add-ons available.
Do I need to move out?
Consider it if the smell is strong, if a large area is affected, if there are infants, elderly or immunocompromised people in the household, or if mold is already visible. Containment reduces spread but does not eliminate it, and the work is disruptive.
Free, no-obligation