Resolving Sewage Backup in Your Bathtub

7/11/2022 (Permalink)

Sewage Backup Techniques

Your bathtub is supposed to be a safe haven where you can relax, unwind and clean yourself up after a long day. Unfortunately, sewer backup can invade your tub when you least expect it, dashing your hopes for a calm evening. If your bathtub in Mindoro, WI, has fallen victim to sewage backflow, just use the following steps.

1. Protect Yourself and Your Household.
Sewage floods are considered Category 3 floods, as they contain a plethora of harmful biohazards. Protect your household by removing all children and pets from the area until the mess is cleaned up. Make sure you don the correct protective gear before tackling the mess as well.

2. Turn Off the Main Water Supply.
Prevent the flood from getting any worse by immediately shutting off your main water supply. You can usually find this valve in your basement.

3. Inspect Your Vent Pipe.
It is possible that the flood causing bathtub backup is a result of a blocked vent pipe. The vent pipe is typically located on the roof of your home, just above your bathroom. Use a flashlight to check for obstructions and remove any that you discover.

4. Snake the Bathtub Drain.
If the vent pipe isn't causing the flooding, then head back to your bathroom and attempt to snake the drain for clogs. Feed the snake down the drain, carefully, and twist counterclockwise as you slowly pull it out. If this method is successful, the sewer backup should begin to drain.

5. Thoroughly Disinfect the Area.
The biohazards present in black water are hazardous, so you absolutely need to make sure that you thoroughly clean and disinfect any surfaces that the flood water came into contact with.
Sewer backup can be messy, but the clogs are typically easy to fix, even if you don't have any prior plumbing experience. If the techniques described above did not fix the problem, then you need to contact flood remediation experts as soon as you can.