A sewage problem in your home does not necessarily mean inches of raw sewage are sitting on your floor. You could have a leaky toilet that has gone undetected for over a year. You might be shaking your head thinking, ‘How is that possible?’ Any homeowner would notice that, right? Well, you’d be wrong.
A toilet usually leaks from one of 5 places. Three of those locations, the water supply line, where the water line connects to the toilet, and from within the tank, will leak clean water. While it is still a mess and can cause water or mold damage if left untreated, you are not dealing with the biohazards of a sewage problem. When your toilet leaks from the bowl or base, however, you have raw sewage that is dripping into your home’s exterior and it requires fast action.
Many things can compromise the wax seal that connects your toilet base to your home’s sewer line. Age, loose bolts, or an improper installation can cause the wax seal to fail. In a recent client’s case, their flooring was replaced. The toilet was disconnected and reconnected while the new floor was being laid. However, the wax seal was not replaced as it should have been. For the next 7 months, every time the toilet was flushed, drips of water leaked out and dripped down into the basement ceiling. A few water droplets weren’t noticed until the ceiling became saturated enough that it started to show mold growth. Now that homeowner has a ruined ceiling full of hidden mold and soaked with dirty sewage water.
With the leak repaired, the clean up process needs to begin immediately. In the case of a drywall ceiling:
- Put on your protective gear. Gloves, mask, goggles are needed. The material you will be cutting away is a biohazard saturated with E.coli, bacteria, and raw sewage. Lay down a disposable plastic sheet to catch any contaminated material and to prevent it from touching your floors.
- Carefully cut out the damaged area. Start with a small section and increase the hole until all of the damaged material is removed. The size of the section will depend on the amount of damage the ceiling sustained. Be mindful of electrical wires and pipes as you cut.
- Check to make sure mold and sewage hasn’t affected the cross beams. Clean, sanitize, and dry anything the raw sewage has touched.
- Square up the hole and measure so you know what size of replacement drywall you need.
- Install the drywall.
If you are unsure as to the amount of damage that has occurred, or if have any doubts, give us a call at Restore Pro. Our team knows the danger associated with raw sewage and has the equipment and expertise to professionally complete the clean up process. We will sanitize, dry, remove and repair the damage so you and your family can rest easy in a clean environment.
Call us at 1-800-847-0114 if you have any questions about our Sewage Cleanup Services. You can also visit our Facebook page to learn more at https://www.facebook.com/RestorePro911.
