A sewage backup is a health and safety problem first and a cleanup job second, and the dispatch line answers 24/7. While you wait, keep everyone out of the room, stop using toilets, sinks, tubs and the washer, and keep children and pets away from the water. If the water touches outlets, a furnace or a water heater, or you smell gas, leave the house and call the utility or 911 before you call us.
Sewage backup cleanup means removing Category 3 water that came up through a floor drain, toilet or tub, then disinfecting and drying everything it reached.
Gurgling drains, a sour smell and dirty water in the floor drain
Most people do not start by searching for a cleanup company. They notice a toilet that gurgles when the washer drains, a basement floor drain that smells like rotten eggs, or brown water pooling around the laundry sink.
Those are the early signs of a sewage backup, and the part you can see is rarely the whole job. Sewage backup cleanup is the trade that removes the contaminated water, strips out what cannot be saved, disinfects what can, and dries the structure afterward.
Sewage is coming up in the house right now
Treat any water that came from a drain or toilet as contaminated until a professional says otherwise. Do the following in this order, and stop at any step that is not safe.
The line is staffed around the clock, including nights, weekends and holidays, and crews are sent the same day when available. Do not wait until morning, because porous materials keep soaking up contamination.
- If you smell gas, see sparks or find water around the panel, get out and call the utility or 911 first.
- Stop running water everywhere in the house, because every flush and load of laundry sends more into the line.
- Keep people and pets out of the wet room, and do not walk through the water in shoes you will wear elsewhere.
- Turn off power to the affected area only from a dry spot, and leave the breaker alone if you must stand in water to reach it.
- Photograph the room and the water line before anything moves.
- Call the line and tell the dispatcher what you see and where the water entered.
Why crews treat sewage as Category 3 water
Category 3 is the most contaminated class in the ANSI/IICRC S500 water damage standard, and sewage is the textbook example. Crews wear protective gear, contain the work area and bag waste before it leaves the room.
You can ask any company whether its crews work to S500 for Category 3 losses. A good answer describes containment, disposal and what gets removed instead of cleaned.
- Waterproof gloves, boots and eye protection for every person who enters.
- A respirator rated for the job when demolition stirs up dust and spray.
- Disposable coveralls that go into the waste bags.
- Plastic sheeting and a taped doorway so the rest of the house stays clean.
Main line backup or your own lateral
The Village's Public Works department takes sewer questions at (630) 350-3435. If neighbors on your street have the same problem, tell Public Works so the main can be checked, because a crew clearing your drain will not fix a blockage downstream. If only your house is backing up, a plumber with a camera can look at the line on your side.
Who owns and pays for which stretch of pipe is not something we can state for your address. Ask the Village and ask your insurer,.
| What you notice | Likely origin | First call |
|---|---|---|
| Only one basement drain backs up | Your lateral or a house drain | A plumber, then us for cleanup |
| Several fixtures gurgle at once | House line or the connection to the main | A plumber, and Public Works |
| Neighbors report the same problem | The main sewer line | Village Public Works |
| Smell of gas with the backup | Utility hazard | The utility or 911 before anything else |
Water spreading or a smell you cannot place? Talk to dispatch now.
(630) 580-6401How a sewage cleanup runs from extraction to final drying
Crews begin with extraction units that pull standing contamination out of the room, then remove porous materials that held it. Carpet, pad, baseboard, lower drywall and insulation that wicked sewage are usually cut out and bagged, not cleaned. Hard surfaces get cleaned and disinfected.
Moisture meters and a thermal imaging camera find water behind walls and under flooring, and air movers and LGR dehumidifiers dry what remains. Our structural drying page covers that stage, and a basement water damage cleanup often follows when the backup came through a floor drain.
What drives the cost of sewage backup cleanup
Price depends on how far the contamination spread and how much has to be removed, so the you hear the scope and the price before any work begins. Insurers often treat sudden sewer or drain backup differently from other water losses, and some policies cover it only through an added endorsement. Read the policy wording and ask your insurer, and do not make permanent repairs before you talk to them.
To price your actual job, call (630) 580-6401.
- Square footage and number of rooms the water reached.
- How much carpet, pad, drywall and insulation must be removed and hauled away.
- Depth and volume of standing water and how long it sat.
- Days of drying equipment and the number of monitoring visits.
- Time of the call, since nights and holidays change crew availability.
Belongings after a backup: keep, clean or discard
Anything porous that sat in sewage is usually discarded, while hard items can often be cleaned and disinfected.
| Item | Usual outcome | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet and pad | Discard | Fibers absorb contamination and cannot be fully sanitized |
| Drywall below the water line | Cut out | Paper and gypsum wick water upward |
| Metal, glass and sealed plastic | Clean and disinfect | Nonporous surfaces release contamination |
Owners, tenants and landlords in Bensenville
About half of Bensenville homes are rented, so a backup often involves a tenant, a landlord and sometimes a property manager. Tenants should report the backup in writing to the landlord right away and keep the photos. Landlords benefit from a same-day call, since contaminated water can travel into the floor below.
We send crews to Bensenville and nearby towns such as Franklin Park. If the backup left standing water, our water extraction page explains that first stage.
Questions about Sewage Backup Cleanup
Do you handle sewage backup cleanup emergencies at night or on weekends in Bensenville?
Yes. The dispatch line answers 24/7 and sends licensed and insured crews, and a same-day visit is offered when the schedule allows. Call at any hour, and if there is gas, sparks or standing water near electrical equipment, call the utility or 911 first.
Why do my drains gurgle and my basement drain smell like sewage?
Gurgling and a sewer smell often mean air and wastewater are not moving freely through the line. It can be a partial blockage, and sometimes it comes before a full backup. Stop using water, and call a plumber or Village Public Works at (630) 350-3435 if neighbors have the same problem.
If water has already reached the floor, call us for cleanup. Dried sewage on carpet or in a wall cavity keeps smelling until it is removed.
Can I clean up a small sewage spill myself?
A small spill on a hard floor may be manageable with gloves, boots, eye protection and a disinfectant, but anything that soaked carpet, drywall or insulation is not a do-it-yourself job. Contaminated materials are hard to judge by eye. If you are unsure, stay out and call.
Is it safe to stay in the house during a sewage backup?
That depends on how far it spread and whether the affected area can be closed off. Keep children, pets, older adults and anyone who is pregnant or has a medical condition away from the area. Questions about health belong with a physician.
Does homeowners insurance cover a sewage backup?
Sudden and accidental water damage is often covered, but sewer or drain backup is frequently excluded or covered only by an added endorsement. Ask your insurer exactly what your policy says, report the loss promptly, and keep receipts for emergency work. We cannot promise approval or a payout.
Is the sewer line my responsibility or the Village's?
We cannot state that for your address. Ask the Village Public Works department at (630) 350-3435 where the public main ends and your lateral begins, and ask your insurer how your policy treats each part.
How long does sewage cleanup take?
Removal and disinfecting can often be done in a day or two, but drying adds days and depends on what the water reached. Your crew will explain the scope and expected timeline before work starts.
Still unsure which page fits your situation? Dispatch can sort it out in one call.
(630) 580-6401