Keep children, pets and anyone with health problems away from it. Stop using sinks, toilets, the washer and the dishwasher. Do not walk through it. Call (413) 603-1274. We remove it safely, clean and sanitize, and dry the area.
Why sewage is different from a burst pipe
Water from a supply pipe starts clean. Sewage carries bacteria and viruses from the start, and anything porous it soaks into, such as carpet, pad, drywall, insulation and cardboard, usually has to be removed and thrown out. Cleanup needs protective gear, containment and disinfection, not just drying.
What causes sewage backups in Chicopee
- Heavy rain on combined sewers. Some older Chicopee neighborhoods have sewers that carry both stormwater and sewage. In a big storm they can back up through basement floor drains in homes without a backflow valve. Residents near McKinstry Ave and Warregan St have reported this.
- A blocked house sewer line. Tree roots, grease or collapsed old pipe between the house and the street.
- A failed sewage ejector pump in a basement bathroom.
- A clogged main drain backing up into the lowest fixture.
What to do now
- Stop adding water. No flushing, showers, laundry or dishes.
- Keep people and pets out.
- Turn off power to the area if you can do it from a dry place.
- Open windows if you can reach them without walking through it.
- Photograph the backup and the drain it came from.
- Call us. (413) 603-1274.
How we clean it up
- Protect and contain. Protective gear and barriers so contamination is not tracked through the house.
- Remove the sewage. Pumped and extracted.
- Remove contaminated porous materials. Carpet, pad, drywall up to a safe height, insulation and cardboard are bagged and removed.
- Clean and disinfect. Floors, walls, framing and hard contents.
- Dry. Dehumidifiers and air movers until readings are normal.
- Find the cause. We tell you whether it was a blocked line, a pump or the city sewer, and how to stop it next time, such as a backflow valve.
Sewage backup or groundwater?
Not every wet basement is sewage. Clear water seeping through a wall or rising from the sump pit after rain is groundwater. Dark, smelly water coming up through a floor drain, a basement toilet or the laundry sink is sewage. Rain-driven groundwater still needs drying, and is covered on our flooded basement cleanup page. If you are not sure, treat it as sewage until someone checks.
What gets thrown out and what can be saved
- Thrown out: carpet and pad, upholstered furniture, mattresses, cardboard boxes, paper, wet insulation and drywall that the sewage touched
- Usually cleaned: concrete floors, framing, metal shelving, sealed tile and solid hard items
- Case by case: wood furniture, clothing and keepsakes, depending on how long they sat in it
Photograph everything before it goes, and keep a list for your insurer. See how to document water damage for insurance.
Is sewage backup covered by insurance?
Many Massachusetts homeowners policies exclude sewer and drain backup unless you added an endorsement for it, and those endorsements often have a limit. Read is sewer backup covered by homeowners insurance in Massachusetts. General information only.
Who is responsible: your line or the city's?
When sewage comes up through a basement floor drain, the first question is where the blockage is. The sewer line that runs from your house to the street is usually the owner's to maintain, including the part under the yard. The main sewer in the street is the city's. In Chicopee, sewer questions go to the city's Department of Public Works. If neighbors on your street are backing up at the same time, especially during a heavy storm, the problem is more likely in the city system. If it is only your house, and it happens when you run the washer or flush, the blockage is more likely in your own line.
Either way, the cleanup inside your house is the same job, and it should start right away. Write down when it happened, whether it was raining, and whether neighbors had the same problem. That record helps with insurance and with any claim to the city.
Stopping the next one
- Backwater valve: a check valve on the sewer line that closes when water tries to flow back into the house
- Camera inspection: a small camera run through the line shows roots, sags and broken clay pipe, common under older Chicopee yards
- Floor drain plug: a simple float plug for the basement drain
- Sewer backup endorsement: ask your agent, since standard policies usually exclude it. See sewer backup insurance
Sewage backup questions
Can I clean it up myself?
A small, contained backup on a hard floor can be cleaned with gloves, boots and disinfectant. Anything that soaked into carpet, drywall or a finished basement needs professional removal.
Can the carpet be saved?
Carpet and pad touched by sewage are almost always thrown out for health reasons.
How do I stop it happening again?
A backflow valve on the sewer line helps homes on combined sewers. Regular line cleaning helps if roots or grease caused it.
Sewage backup? Call now
Call (413) 603-1274 now. Locally owned in Chicopee. See areas we serve.