Causes and Cleanup of Sewage Backup in Atlanta GA

The city of Atlanta, through its Watershed Management Department, performs regular maintenance of its main sewer systems. This includes inspecting, cleaning, repairing and monitoring of city sewer lines. Despite the city's efforts, however, unexpected problems can occur resulting in sewage backing up into homes or offices.

Why does sewage backup occur? The simple answer is blockage. There can be blockage in the main sewer line or in the lines that connect to homes known as service laterals. When a sewer line is blocked, the wastewater naturally has to flow somewhere else. It could spill over a small area or can affect an entire neighborhood.

When there is blockage in one of the city's sewer lines, the sewage water will find a suitable opening to exit through. Normally, the wastewater spills out of the lowest level in the system. This is why a sewage backup usually occurs in basements as well as in toilets and drains that are located in rooms below the ground.

In homes, the most common reason of sewage spills is the accumulation of grease and hair that eventually clogs the drains. Wastewater pipes can also be blocked with solid items like sanitary napkins, paper towels and diapers that were flushed down the toilet. There have also been reports of vandals stuffing manholes with all sorts of objects from sticks to bricks.

Sewage backups can also be due to poor maintenance of the sewage system or construction mistakes. In both residential and commercial areas, mature tree roots can invade pipe systems and cause cracks or breakage that can result to spills. Continuous city growth may also be a contributing factor to sewage backup Atlanta so the city needs to ensure that its sewage system has enough capacity to accommodate new homes and business establishments.

If you find yourself in the horrible situation of having to deal with a sewage spill, make safety a priority. Sewage water, obviously, is full of bacteria, virus and other harmful microorganisms. Avoid direct skin contact at all costs. Keep children, pets and belongings away from the contaminated area. If the spill has reached the level of electrical outlets, do not enter the affected area and call the authorities instead for assistance.

If there are no electrocution risks, you can proceed with the sewage backup cleanup. Before doing so, make sure to tell household members not to use the drains until the blockage has been taken out. You can use stoppers on drains to plug or minimize the sewage backup. If the blockage is in the lateral service line to your home, you need to call a plumber to clear the blocked pipe or repair any breakage.

If the affected area is small, it would be okay to clean up the sewage spill yourself. Just wear protective gear and proceed with caution. If dealing with extensive damage, however, it is highly recommended to call a professional sewage backup Atlanta cleaner and restorer who is trained to handle sewage materials. This way, you can be assured that your home will be thoroughly cleaned and no health risks remain.