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Sewer backup cleanup in Anchorage

Cleaning up sewage that backed up through a floor drain or toilet, traced to the utility main or the house drain.

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  • Basement and crawl water

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Sewer Backup

Sewer Backup Cleanup: what it covers

Quick answer

Sewer backup cleanup removes contaminated water and soaked materials after sewage has come back up a floor drain, toilet, tub or sink. The first step is to tell whether the blockage is in the utility's sewer main or in the house drain, because that decides who clears it. Anchorage Water Damage Restoration answers calls at any hour and sends a crew as soon as one is free.

Sewer Backup Cleanup illustration for Anchorage, AK

A sewer backup is one of the few water losses where the first priority is not the building. Water that has come up through a drain carries sewage and everything that has been flushed or washed into the system, and it can carry bacteria and viruses. The people in the house, and any pets, need to be kept out of the water until the crew has arrived and the area has been made safe.

The wastewater in Anchorage and the communities the utility serves runs through the utility's sewer system to its treatment, and each house connects to that system through a house drain. A blockage or a surcharge can occur in the main, in the house drain or in the branch between the two. Where the water comes up determines which part is blocked. A backup at the lowest drain in a basement often means the water has come from the main or the branch, while one that appears only at a particular fixture usually points to the house drain.

Stop using every drain and toilet in the house. Do not flush, run a tap or a washer, or run a dishwasher until the blockage has been cleared, because each use adds to the water in the system. Keep children and pets out of the area, close the door to the affected room, and call the line. The crew will ask which drain it is, how far the water has risen and whether any water is still coming in.

Service area
Anchorage & Anchorage Municipality
Availability
Phones answered 24/7, emergencies first
Warning signs

Signs you need sewer backup cleanup

Keep everyone and every pet out of sewage water, and wash hands and any exposed skin with soap and clean water if you touch it. Do not use a household vacuum, a fan or a dehumidifier in sewage water, because the equipment can spread contamination. Do not open a cleanout under pressure, and do not mix household cleaning products together in the cleanup, because the fumes can be dangerous.

  • Water coming up through a basement floor drain or a shower drain
  • A toilet that gurgles or fills when another fixture is used
  • Several drains backing up at once, including the lowest fixture in the house
  • A sewage smell in the basement or near the floor drain
  • Water that is grey, brown or dark rather than clear
  • Water that rises slowly around a floor drain after heavy rain
  • Damp or soft flooring around a toilet, sink or floor drain
Our process

How our sewer backup cleanup visit works

  1. Keep everyone out and stop using the drains

    Close the affected room, keep people and pets out of the water, and stop every drain, toilet and appliance that uses water. The crew asks you to avoid touching the water and to wash your hands if you have touched it. Sewage is treated as a hazard until the crew has confirmed the water category.

  2. Find where the blockage is

    The technician checks which fixtures back up, whether the water rises at the lowest drain first and whether the cleanout is clear. A cleanout is opened to test the house drain, and the crew notes whether the water runs back toward the house or away from it. The answer decides whether the house drain or the utility's main is involved.

  3. Remove the water and the contaminated materials

    Sewage is extracted from the floor with equipment set aside for it, and porous materials that have been in contact with it are removed, including carpet, pad, underlay and the lower part of drywall. Hard surfaces are cleaned with a product suited to sewage and then dried. The removal is recorded item by item.

  4. Decide who clears the line

    If the blockage is in the house drain, a plumber clears it, and the crew says so. If the blockage is in the utility's sewer main, the utility is called to clear it, and the crew records the fact and the time of the call. The house is not dried until the drain has been confirmed clear, because more water will keep coming up.

  5. Dry, disinfect and document

    The room is dried to readings once the drain is clear and the contaminated materials are out. Hard surfaces are disinfected, and the crew logs the work, the readings, the materials removed and the drain check. The record is what the insurer and the plumber will need.

Job stories

Typical jobs for sewer backup cleanup

Typical job
Illustration: Sewage rises through a basement floor drain

Sewage rises through a basement floor drain

What homeowners notice
The owner of a house sees grey water coming up through the basement floor drain and smells sewage in the room. The toilet upstairs begins to gurgle when the basement tap is run.
What we do
The household is asked to stop using the drains and the room is closed. The crew wears protective equipment, opens the cleanout with the water under control and finds the blockage in the house drain. Standing water is removed, soaked pad and the lower drywall at the floor are taken out, and the hard floor and the walls are disinfected before drying. A plumber is called to clear the house drain and the crew's record notes the time and the drain involved.
What to expect
The drain is confirmed clear before the room is dried, the readings reach the reference, and the owner has a list of the discarded items and photographs for the insurer, along with the plumber's written scope.

5-7 hours typical visit

Is sewage water the same as clean water for cleanup?

No. Sewage contains bacteria, viruses and organic matter, and it is treated as contaminated from the first minute. The crew wears protective gear, removes soaked porous materials and cleans and disinfects hard surfaces with products suited to that category.

Sewage cleanup is slower than clean-water cleanup, because the porous materials that have been in contact with it cannot be cleaned and dried in place. Carpet, pad, underlay and the lower part of drywall are usually removed. The crew explains which materials are removed and why, so the owner knows what to expect.

Clothing, bedding and upholstery that has been in contact with sewage are assessed separately. The owner should not wash them in the household machine until the crew has said they are safe to handle, because the wash water can carry the contamination into the sewer again.

How do I know whether the blockage is mine or the utility's?

Open the cleanout if you can, or ask the plumber to, and see whether the water runs toward the house or back from the main. A blockage on the house side is usually cleared by a plumber, while one in the main is called to the utility. Where the water rises at the lowest drain first, the main is the more likely cause.

The cleanout is the access point on the house drain, usually outside the house or in the cellar. Do not open it if the water is under pressure, because the sewage can spray. A plumber or the crew should open it with protective equipment.

Tell the utility which drain backed up, when it happened and whether other houses in the area are affected. The utility can then decide whether to send a crew to its main, and the owner can decide whether a plumber is needed on the house side.

What should I do about the things I flushed or used during the backup?

Stop using the drains until the blockage is cleared, and do not wash clothes or dishes in the house until the crew says the drains are clear. Anything that came into contact with the sewage should be assessed before it is reused, and the crew can say what can be kept.

Items such as toys, wooden furniture, mattresses and soft goods that have been in the water are usually discarded, because they cannot be disinfected to a reliable standard. Hard, non-porous items can be cleaned and kept, and the crew tells you which items fall into which group.

Keep a list of the items you discard and their approximate value for the insurer. A photograph of each item before it is removed is the strongest evidence, so take those before the crew begins to remove materials.

Why does a sewer backup come back after it has been cleaned?

A backup comes back when the blockage has not been cleared or the cause has not been fixed. A drain that is still partly blocked, a root in the line or a surcharge in the main will bring the water back, and the cleanup has to wait until the cause has been dealt with.

The crew checks the drain before it dries the room, and it runs the drain to confirm the water flows away. A drain that backs up again after the cleanup means the blockage was not cleared, and the crew advises that a plumber or the utility be called before the room is repaired.

A backwater valve, where fitted and maintained, stops water coming back into the house from the main. Ask a plumber to check the valve and to say whether it is in working order and fitted in the right place.

What does the crew need from me on the first call?

Tell the line which drain backed up, which room the water is in, whether it is clean or grey or dark, how far it has risen and whether it is still coming up. Those four or five facts let the crew send the right equipment and the right person.

Say whether anyone in the household has been in contact with the water, and whether anyone has a condition that makes sewage contact a particular risk. Those details help the crew decide the protective steps for the visit.

Keep the family away from the room, and do not use the drains. The crew will ask you to show it the cleanout, the affected drain and the room, so keep the route clear.

Options

Types and options for sewer backup cleanup

House drain backup

A backup that is confined to one fixture, or to the house side of the cleanout, usually comes from a blockage in the house drain, a broken joint or a root in the line. A plumber clears or repairs it, and the crew cleans the area and dries it. The crew checks the cleanout first to find which side is blocked.

Utility main backup

A backup that rises at the lowest drain in the house, or at several houses at once, can come from a blockage or surcharge in the utility's sewer main. The owner calls the utility about the main, because it is the utility's line. The crew's record of the time and the drain that backed up helps the utility trace the problem.

Backup after heavy rain

Heavy rain or snowmelt can push water into the sewer system faster than it can be carried away, and the water rises in the lowest drains. A backwater valve, where one is fitted, is designed to stop that water coming back into the house. The crew checks whether a valve is fitted and whether it was closed.

Anchorage Municipality

Why sewer backup cleanup is different in Southcentral Alaska

Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility runs the wastewater service for Anchorage, Chugiak-Eagle River, Peters Creek, Eklutna and Girdwood. A backup that starts in the main is the utility's to clear, and the owner's first call is to the utility on that line. The crew records the drain and the time so the utility can trace the blockage.

The house drain is the owner's to clear, and it is usually reached through a cleanout outside or in the cellar. A plumber does that work, and the crew says so on the first visit when the blockage is on the house side.

Where a home in the city or in one of the outlying communities has a backwater valve, the valve is the first thing to check after a backup, because it is designed to close against water coming back from the main. A plumber should confirm the valve is fitted and working before the house is reoccupied.

One call and it gets handled.

A crew is dispatched as fast as one is available, and you approve the estimate before any work starts.

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Where we work

Sewer Backup Cleanup across Anchorage Municipality

Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.

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Guides

Read before you book

Water damage insurance claim steps in Alaska

After water damage in Alaska, photograph the damage before any cleanup, keep the damaged materials until the insurer has seen them, keep every utility and contractor record, and report the loss to the carrier early.

FAQ

Sewer Backup Cleanup FAQs

Can I clean up sewage myself?

The crew does this work with protective equipment and products suited to sewage. A homeowner who cleans sewage without that equipment risks exposure to bacteria and viruses, so keep out of the water and call the line.

Who pays to clear a sewer backup?

The owner pays to clear a blockage on the house side, through a plumber. The utility clears its own main. Whether the policy pays for the cleanup is decided by the policy and the insurer, and that decision is not made by this company.

Is it safe to use the toilet after a backup?

Not until the drain has been confirmed clear. Using the toilet or any other drain adds water to the system and can bring sewage back up. The crew tells you when the drains can be used again.

Will the crew clear the drain itself?

The crew tests the drain and can clear a partial blockage at the cleanout where it is safe to do so. A blockage that needs a plumber's tools or the utility's equipment is passed on, and the crew records that it has been passed on.

Should I keep the damaged items?

Porous items that have been in sewage are usually discarded. Hard items can be cleaned and kept if the crew confirms they are safe. Photograph everything before it is removed, and keep the list for the insurer.

How do I stop sewage backing up again?

Keep the drains clear of grease, wipes and fats, have a plumber check the house drain and any backwater valve, and note whether the backup follows heavy rain or a change on the utility side. The crew can tell you what the record shows.

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