Sewage Backup: A Serious Health Hazard
A sewage backup in your home is classified as Category 3 water damage — the most severe category under IICRC standards. Category 3 water contains dangerous pathogens that pose immediate health risks:
- E. coli and Salmonella — bacterial infections causing severe gastrointestinal illness
- Hepatitis A — viral liver infection transmissible through contaminated water
- Giardia and Cryptosporidium — parasitic infections from contaminated water
- Tetanus — bacterial infection entering through cuts exposed to contaminated water
Why You Cannot DIY Sewage Cleanup
Sewage cleanup requires:
- Full PPE (Tyvek suits, respirators, rubber boots, chemical-resistant gloves)
- Removal of ALL porous materials that contacted sewage: carpet, pad, drywall, insulation
- HEPA vacuuming of all surfaces
- EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfection
- Negative air containment to prevent cross-contamination
- Post-remediation verification testing
WrightWay’s biohazard-trained crews follow IICRC S500 and S540 standards for Category 3 water damage. Call (941) 379-8669 for 24/7 emergency sewage cleanup.