Sewer Backup Cleanup in Manchester, NH

Parts of Manchester's older core are served by a combined sewer system, where rainwater and sewage share the same pipes. In a heavy storm those pipes can surcharge, and the lowest opening in the building, usually a basement floor drain, is where the water comes back up. Backups also happen in dry weather when roots, grease or a collapsed cast iron or clay lateral block the line out to the street.

Why sewage is handled differently

Sewage carries bacteria and viruses from the first minute, so it is Category 3 regardless of how clear it looks. That changes the whole job:

• The work area is contained with plastic sheeting and kept under negative air with HEPA air scrubbers
• The crew works in protective suits, gloves, boots and respirators
• Porous materials the sewage touched, such as carpet, pad, drywall, insulation and cardboard, are removed, not dried
• Hard surfaces are cleaned and treated with an EPA-registered antimicrobial left on for its full dwell time
• Only then does structural drying start

The EPA combined sewer overflow page explains how combined systems behave in storms, and the CDC covers health precautions around sewage.

What to keep people away from

Children, pets, anyone pregnant and anyone with a weak immune system should stay out of the affected area. Do not run the washer, dishwasher or showers while the line is backed up, because every gallon goes to the lowest drain. Do not try to shop-vac sewage; it aerosolizes the contamination.

After the cleanup

Once the space is clean and dry, a backwater valve on the floor drain and a camera inspection of the lateral are worth considering, especially in the older neighborhoods near the Millyard and on the West Side. Sewer backup coverage is often a separate endorsement on a homeowners policy. Clean-water basement losses are covered on the basement flooding cleanup page.