Denver & Colorado Front Range · 24/7
Sewage backup cleanup in Colorado
A sewer backup through a basement floor drain or toilet isn't something to clean up with a mop. We contain it, remove what it touched, disinfect and dry, and we tell you what to ask your plumber.
- Answering 24/7
- Moisture readings logged daily
- Written scope before work starts
- Dated photos for your insurance claim
Open 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays
Serving, Colorado
Bennett Water Damage provides sewage backup cleanup in 50 Colorado cities and towns, from Fort Collins to Pueblo. Floor drain or toilet backups handled as Category 3 water: contained, removed and disinfected. We answer 24/7 at (619) 776-0635.
About sewage cleanup
Sewage is Category 3 water. It carries bacteria, viruses and other things you don't want in your house, and it needs to be handled that way: containment, protective gear, and removal of porous materials it soaked.
Most backups we see on the Front Range come up through a basement floor drain. Tree roots in old clay sewer laterals are the usual cause in older neighborhoods. In newer homes, it's more often grease, wipes or a problem in the city main after a heavy storm.
Carpet, pad, drywall and insulation that sewage soaked usually can't be saved. Hard surfaces can be cleaned and disinfected. We remove what has to go, clean the rest, dry the structure, and keep the rest of the house from getting contaminated while we work.
What the job includes
- Containment to keep contamination from spreading to the rest of the house
- Removal of sewage and contaminated water
- Disposal of carpet, pad, drywall and other porous materials that were soaked
- Cleaning and disinfection of hard surfaces
- Structural drying with daily moisture readings
- Photos and a written scope for your insurance claim
- Notes for your plumber on where the backup came from
Signs you need sewage backup cleanup
Any one of these is worth a call. We'll tell you honestly if it needs a visit.
Water coming up through a floor drain
Water rising out of a basement floor drain is almost always a sewer line problem.
Toilets or tubs gurgling
Gurgling or slow drains throughout the house can mean a blockage in the main line.
Sewage smell in the basement
A persistent sewer smell can mean a slow backup or a dried-out floor drain trap.
Water backs up when the washer drains
If water comes up a floor drain when the washing machine empties, the line is partly blocked.
It's happened before
Repeat backups usually mean roots or a damaged line. Have it scoped by a plumber.
Backup during a heavy storm
Some backups happen when the city system is overwhelmed. It's still contaminated water.
How the job runs
- 1
Keep people out
Keep kids and pets away, don't run the HVAC if returns are in the area, and stop using water in the house if the drain is still backing up.
- 2
Contain
We set up barriers so contamination doesn't spread to clean areas while we work.
- 3
Remove
Sewage and soaked porous materials come out and get disposed of properly.
- 4
Clean and disinfect
Hard surfaces and framing get cleaned and treated before any drying starts.
- 5
Dry and document
The structure gets dried with daily readings, and you get a report for your insurer and your plumber.
What affects the cost of sewage backup cleanup
Every water damage job is priced after we see it. These are the things that move the number.
How far it spread
A backup contained to a laundry room is very different from one that spread across a finished basement.
What it touched
Carpet, pad, drywall and insulation that sewage soaked have to be removed and disposed of properly.
Containment needed
Keeping contamination out of the rest of the house can mean plastic barriers and air filtration.
How long it sat
The longer sewage sits, the further it soaks and the more has to come out.
Belongings
Porous belongings that sewage touched usually can't be saved. Hard items can often be cleaned.
Repeat backups
If the line isn't fixed, it can happen again, so we'll recommend getting it scoped before rebuilding.
Why people call Bennett Water Damage
We show you the numbers
Moisture readings get taken and written down every day. You'll know the job is done because the numbers say so, not because we said so.
We'll tell you if you don't need us
Sometimes a small leak caught early just needs a fan and a day. If that's your situation, we'll say so, and you'll get it in writing like any other finding.
You know who's in your house
We tell you up front who'll be on site and who they work for. No surprise subcontractors.
Paperwork your adjuster can use
Dated photos, daily moisture logs, a list of what was removed and why. It makes the insurance side a lot less painful.
No pressure to sign
An assessment isn't a sales pitch. Want a second opinion or a day to talk to your insurance company? That's fine, and the price doesn't change.
We refer out what isn't ours
If the fix is really a plumber's or a roofer's job, we'll tell you that instead of stretching to cover it ourselves.
What customers have said
What struck me most was simply how much time was spent carefully looking before anyone even mentioned a figure of any kind. I have had other contractors quote me a price straight from the doorstep before seeing anything at all, and this visit was very clearly nothing like that experience whatsoever.
I was cautious about the cost from the very start of the call and said so upfront without being embarrassed about it. Nobody tried to push me toward the larger, more expensive option once I said that. They simply priced what I actually asked for and told me honestly what I would be trading off.
Came out, looked properly, and told me the problem was contained. I had been quoted for the full job two days earlier. Took an afternoon.
They noticed early on that I had two rather elderly cats in the house and were genuinely careful about doors and gates all day without me ever having to ask twice about it. A small consideration on their part, but it meant I did not spend the whole day anxiously checking on them myself.
The crew that started the job on the Monday morning was the exact same crew that finished it on the Thursday afternoon, with no substitutions at any point along the way. It sounds like a fairly low bar to clear, but the last contractor I used never once managed it across a similar job.
One specific detail stuck with me long afterward — they showed me, before any work even started, exactly which part of the whole job would likely need doing again in a few more years regardless of whatever we chose to do now, so absolutely nothing came as a surprise to me later on.
Sewage Backup Cleanup by city
We provide sewage backup cleanup in 50 Colorado cities and towns.
Other water damage services
Emergency Water Extraction
Standing water pumped and vacuumed out before it wicks up the drywall and into the framing.
Emergency Water Extraction →Structural Drying
Air movers and dehumidifiers on the framing, subfloor and wall cavities, with readings taken every day.
Structural Drying →Burst Pipe Cleanup
The mess a split pipe leaves behind after a Colorado cold snap, from the ceiling below to the basement floor.
Burst Pipe Cleanup →Storm & Flood Recovery
Cleanup after hail, flash flooding, or snowmelt gets into the basement through window wells and foundation cracks.
Storm & Flood Recovery →Sewage Backup Cleanup
Floor drain or toilet backups handled as Category 3 water: contained, removed and disinfected.
Sewage Backup Cleanup →Moisture Inspection
A written moisture map that shows what's wet, how wet it is, and what it's likely to damage next.
Moisture Inspection →Sewage Backup Cleanup questions
Is it safe to clean up a sewer backup myself?
For a small amount on bare concrete, with gloves, boots and a disinfectant, maybe. Once it has soaked into carpet, drywall or anything porous, it needs to come out and be disposed of, and that's where professional cleanup makes sense.
Does insurance cover sewer backups?
Often only if you have a sewer or water backup endorsement on your homeowners policy. A lot of people find out they don't have it after the fact. Check your declarations page.
Can my carpet be saved?
Carpet and pad that sewage soaked shouldn't be kept. Hard flooring and tile can usually be cleaned and disinfected.
Why does my floor drain keep backing up?
Usually roots in the sewer lateral, a sagging or broken section of pipe, or something stuck in the line. A plumber can run a camera through it and tell you.
Not sure if it's bad enough to call?
Call anyway. Tell us what you're seeing and we'll tell you straight whether it needs a visit or whether it's something you can handle yourself tonight. We answer 24/7.