What to do when you have a drainage leak
What to do when you have a drainage leak
If sewage is leaking out into your bathroom’s tub, toilet or shower, you should make a call to your plumber immediately. Sewage will contain microbes so it must be cleaned up and the plumbing system repaired right away.
It would be prudent to clean the area with a cup of bleach to five gallons of water before the plumber reaches your house. Wear eye protection, long trousers, gloves and boots and seal the area to prevent entry by children, the aging and pets. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands with warm water and soap when you have finished the drainpipes clearup. As another temporary measure, if you can limit the water going into your drain you can prevent the volume of sewage backing into your home.
As an underlying cause, the waste line could be choked or there may be a stoppage between the shower and the toilet. Either way, your clear priority should be to prevent your family from exposure to disease causing bacteria.
Symptoms from being exposed to sewage may include diarrhea, stomach pain, fever, chills, and vomiting. If any of these symptoms occur to you or your family, particularly the young or ageing, seek medical attention without hold up.
With a mixture of one cup of bleach to five Imperial gallons of water you should clean any items and surfaces that have been contaminated by the drainage. Throw away items that cannot be washed and cleaned (such as mattresses, stuffed animals, baby toys, and wood cutting boards) and food that may have come in contact with sewage water.
You can try clearing the backflow in a shower area by manipulating a plumbers snake tool into the drain. Ideally a 25 feet drainage snake should be used. It can pass through the line with ease to get at a blockage. Sometimes in a bathroom the shower trap gets blocked but at the same time the toilet remains unaffected. This is due to the fact that the toilet trap is typically about six inches above the floor level, whereas the typical shower drain is installed level with the floor.
The sewage back flow may be too severe for you to tackle, in which case you should immediately ask for professional help. They will be able to clean up the leaked sewage thoroughly, as well as find out exactly where the clog is located. It is better to let the expert handle the plumbing fixes unless you know exactly what you are doing.