Sewage coming up through a floor drain, a tub or a toilet is more than a plumbing problem. The water is contaminated, and the first phone call decides who looks at the pipes.
Key takeaways
- Frisco says to call Public Works for a sewer backup, and a city employee checks for a blockage in a city pipe.
- If the blockage is not in a city pipe, the resident is told to contact a plumber.
- The City says the cleanout is near the front of the home and should be visible and accessible when a plumber is called.
- Sewage is Category 3 water, so carpet, pad and soaked drywall are removed rather than dried.
- The Frisco Sewer Division has an employee on call 24/7 year round.
What a sewage backup looks like and what to do first
A backup rarely begins with a flood. It usually starts with small signs at the lowest drains in the house.
When a blockage stops sewage from leaving the house, the water takes the easiest way out, and that is usually the lowest opening in the building.
- Gurgling from a toilet or tub when another fixture drains.
- Water or sewage coming up through a floor drain, or the lowest tub or shower.
- Several drains running slowly at the same time.
- A sewage smell in a bathroom or laundry room.
Right away
The first few minutes matter less than the first few decisions.
- Stop using toilets, sinks, showers and washing machines, because every gallon sent down the drain adds to the backup.
- Keep children, pets and anyone with a weak immune system out of the affected area.
- Do not use a household vacuum on sewage water.
- Photograph the water and the drains with the date visible before anything is moved.
What not to do
A few common reactions make a backup worse.
- Do not pour chemical drain cleaners into a backed up drain, because the liquid can splash back.
- Do not try to dry sewage soaked carpet or drywall in place.
- Do not wait to see whether the water drains on its own.
Who to call first
Frisco gives residents a clear order of calls, and following it saves time.
Frisco Public Works
The City of Frisco says to call Public Works for a sewer backup. A city employee then checks for a blockage in a city pipe.
The Public Works Department also takes calls about broken water pipes and after hours water and sewer emergencies, and the Sewer Division has an employee on call 24/7 year round.
A plumber
If the blockage is not in a city pipe, the resident is told to contact a plumber. The plumber clears the stoppage, and the restoration team handles the water that has already come out.
A plumber can run a camera through the sewer pipe to find where the blockage sits.
The restoration team
Extraction and containment can start while the cause is still being sorted out, so the water does not keep spreading into the structure. Water damage restoration in Frisco runs 24/7 for exactly this kind of loss.
Finding the cleanout before the plumber is called
The City says the cleanout for a home's sewer pipe is near the front of the home. It should be visible and accessible when a plumber is called.
A cleanout hidden under mulch or stored items slows the work, so keeping the area clear saves time.
- Look for the cleanout near the front of the home.
- Keep landscaping, planters and stored items away from it.
- Tell the plumber where it is when making the call.
Why sewage water is handled differently
Water damage is sorted into categories under the IICRC S500 standard. Category 1 is clean water from a supply pipe, Category 2 carries some contamination and Category 3 is grossly contaminated.
Sewage is Category 3. It carries bacteria, so the response is built around containment and protective gear.
Porous materials that touched it cannot be made safe by drying alone. Hard surfaces such as tile and sealed concrete are cleaned and treated.
Speed matters, because odors set into porous materials quickly and damp materials can start growing mold within 24 to 48 hours.
- Carpet and pad are removed and bagged.
- Wet drywall and insulation are cut out above the wet area.
- Baseboards and cabinet toe kicks that soaked up the water are taken off.
- Rugs, mattresses and cardboard that absorbed the water are discarded.
What the cleanup looks like
Sewage backup cleanup in Frisco moves in a set order: extract, remove, clean, then dry.
Extraction and containment
The extraction crew pulls the standing water with pumps or truck mounted equipment. The work area is sealed off with plastic so the rest of the house stays clean.
Air scrubbers with HEPA filters can run during the work to keep airborne particles down.
Removal and cleaning
Damaged porous materials are bagged and carried out. Floors, walls and framing are cleaned and treated with an antimicrobial.
Contents that cannot be cleaned are listed and photographed before they go.
Drying and checks
Air movers and dehumidifiers then dry the structure. Structural drying in Frisco continues until the readings reach the dry goal.
A final set of readings on walls and floors shows that the moisture is gone before anything is rebuilt.
Frisco's wider sewer system
Frisco is a member of the NTMWD Regional Wastewater System, whose members also include Allen, Forney, Heath and McKinney. NTMWD runs the Panther Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Stewart Creek West Wastewater Treatment Plant in Frisco.
The City's Panther Creek Wastewater Interceptor project covers a 42 inch sewer pipe along Panther Creek between Preston Road and the BNSF Railroad. A backup inside one home is a local problem to sort out, and it does not by itself point to a failure anywhere in that system.
None of that changes the first step. The City still asks residents to call Public Works when sewage backs up.
Documenting the loss
Photograph the water, the affected materials and the drain before anything is removed. Keep the date on every picture.
Cleanup of a backup on bathroom tile typically runs $2,000 to $4,000, and a backup that reaches carpeted rooms runs $4,000 to $10,000. Coverage for sewage backup depends on the policy, and some policies handle it through an added endorsement, so the wording decides.
- Take photos of every wet room before cleanup starts.
- Keep receipts for the plumber and the cleanup.
- Ask the drying team for the daily readings and keep them with the claim file.
- List belongings that were lost, with photos taken before they are discarded.
Questions
Who handles a sewage backup in Frisco, the City or a plumber?
Frisco says to call Public Works first. A city employee checks for a blockage in a city pipe, and if the blockage is elsewhere the resident is told to contact a plumber.
Is a sewage backup an emergency?
Yes. The water is contaminated, so children, pets and anyone with a weak immune system should stay out of the area until the cleanup is done.
Does carpet have to go after a sewage backup?
Carpet and pad that touched sewage are normally removed, because drying does not make them safe again.
Where is the cleanout in a Frisco home?
The City says it is near the front of the home and should be visible and accessible when a plumber is called.
Does homeowners insurance cover a sewage backup?
Coverage depends on the policy. Some policies cover backups only through an added endorsement, so the policy wording decides.
How long does the cleanup take?
It depends on the size of the backup. Removal and cleaning come first, and drying then runs until the readings reach the dry goal.