Yes, sewage backup can be dangerous. Raw sewage carries bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause stomach illness, skin and eye infections, and other infections, and sewer gas can irritate the eyes and lungs in enclosed spaces. The risk comes from contact and from lingering moisture and mold, so avoid touching the water, keep vulnerable people away, and clean and disinfect thoroughly.
A few inches of dirty water in a shower pan is unpleasant but manageable. A backup that soaks carpet, drywall and a crawlspace is a different situation. Knowing the risks helps you decide what you can handle and when to bring in help.
What Are the Health Risks?
- Germs in sewage such as E. coli and other bacteria, viruses and parasites can cause vomiting, diarrhea and fever.
- Skin and eye infections from contact, especially through cuts or scrapes.
- Sewer gas in closed rooms can cause headaches, nausea and irritation.
- Mold can grow in wet materials within a day or two if not dried.
Who Is Most at Risk?
- Young children and babies, who touch everything.
- Older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system.
- Pregnant women.
- Pets, which walk through and lick contaminated areas.
- Anyone with open cuts or skin conditions.
How Do You Stay Safe?
Stop the water
Do not run water in the house until the line is cleared.
Keep people out
Close off the area from kids, pets and anyone vulnerable.
Protect yourself
Rubber boots, waterproof gloves and eye protection if you must go near it.
Ventilate
Open windows and run fans that vent outside if safe to do so.
What Should You Not Do?
- Do not use a household vacuum on sewage.
- Do not touch electrical outlets, cords or appliances while standing in water.
- Do not mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners.
- Do not keep soaked carpet padding, mattresses or upholstered items that cannot be fully cleaned.
- Do not pour chemical drain cleaner into a backed-up line.
Small Backup or Big Backup?
| Situation | Who should clean it |
|---|---|
| Water stayed in a tub or shower pan | Usually the homeowner, with gloves and disinfectant |
| Hard floors, small area, cleaned within hours | Often the homeowner, carefully |
| Carpet, drywall or large area soaked | A water damage restoration company |
| Crawlspace or under-slab involvement | Professionals |
What About Crawlspaces?
Many Pine Bluff homes sit on crawlspaces, and a backup or a leaking drain under the floor can send sewage into that space without anyone seeing it. Signs include a strong smell rising through the floor, damp or sagging insulation, and more insects than usual. Crawlspace cleanup and drying is best left to professionals, since it means working in a tight, contaminated space, and the leak that caused it needs to be found and fixed at the same time.
Fix the Cause, Not Just the Mess
Cleanup only helps if the backup does not happen again. After clearing the line, a camera inspection shows whether it was a one-time clog, roots, a belly or a broken pipe. See our sewer backup repair and cleanup service, and read what to do after a sewer backup.
This is general safety information, not medical advice. If anyone becomes ill after contact with sewage, contact a doctor. For the sewer side of the problem, see how we approach sewer line repair in Pine Bluff.
Stop using water and call. My crew will clear the line and find the cause so it does not happen again. 24/7.
FAQ
Is it safe to stay in a house with sewage backup?
A small, contained backup usually is, if you keep away from it and clean promptly. A large backup may make parts of the house unsafe until cleaned and dried.
Can sewer smell make you sick?
Strong sewer gas in an enclosed space can cause headaches, nausea and irritation. Ventilate and fix the source.
How fast does mold grow after a backup?
Mold can start within 24 to 48 hours in wet materials, which is why fast drying matters.