Why sewage needs a crew
Water from a sewer line carries bacteria and viruses that can make people sick. Restoration crews treat it as contaminated, wear protective gear and follow a set process:
- Contain the area so workers don't track sewage into clean rooms.
- Pump out the water and solids.
- Remove porous materials the sewage touched, including carpet, pad, the bottom of drywall and insulation.
- Clean and disinfect the concrete, framing and anything hard that can be saved.
- Dry the space with dehumidifiers and air movers.
Keep children and pets away from the area until the crew finishes. Don't run water or flush toilets while the backup is happening, because it all goes to the same drain.
What causes backups
Most backups in Aurora houses start in the private sewer line between the house and the city main. Tree roots get into older clay pipe joints, grease builds up over the years, and wipes create clogs. When the line is blocked, the lowest drain in the house is where the water comes out, and in most Aurora homes that is a basement floor drain.
Heavy storms can also overload sewer lines and push water back toward houses. A backwater valve on the main line stops that from happening. A plumber can tell you whether your house has one.
Sewer backups in Aurora neighborhoods
Older neighborhoods around East Colfax and north Aurora tend to have more sewer line trouble. Many of those houses still have their original clay or cast iron lateral lines, and the mature trees along those streets send roots into the joints. If your floor drain gurgles or the basement toilet bubbles when the washer drains, the line is probably partly blocked.
Newer homes in east and southeast Aurora have PVC lines that hold up better. The usual trouble there is a clog or a builder defect, like a belly in the line where it sank after the trench was backfilled.
A plumber with a camera can find the problem. The restoration company handles the cleanup, and crews cover every Aurora ZIP code and the towns around it.