Stop using all water in the house right away, since every flush or faucet sends more sewage up into the tub. Keep people and pets away, check whether neighbors have the same problem, then call a plumber to clear the main line. Clean up wearing gloves and boots, using detergent, then a bleach rinse.
What should you do in the first ten minutes?
Stop the flow, protect people, and figure out who to call. In order:
- 1Stop all water use. Tell everyone in the house. Turn off the washing machine and dishwasher if they're running.
- 2Keep people and pets out. Washington State's Department of Health says to "Keep children and pets out of the area until clean-up has been completed."
- 3Watch for electrical hazards. If sewage is spreading toward outlets or cords, stay out of it. Safe Electricity says: "Never attempt to turn off power at the breaker box if you must stand in water to do so."
- 4Check the cleanout. Find your sewer cleanout, usually a capped pipe in the yard or near the foundation. If sewage is coming out of it, or it's full when you open the cap, the blockage is in the line between that point and the street. See what to do when sewage comes out of the yard cleanout.
- 5Ask a neighbor. If homes on both sides are backing up too, the problem may be in the city sewer main.
Who do you call: a plumber or the city?
It depends on where the clog is. In Phoenix, the city says that "home or property owners are responsible for cleaning and maintaining the sewer line that runs from the house to the connection with the city sewer main in the street or alley." The city "will ONLY repair broken service lines within the public right of way."
So:
| Where the problem is | Who fixes it |
|---|---|
| Inside the house, or your sewer line out to the main | You, through a plumber |
| The city sewer main in the street or alley | The city |
| A manhole in the street overflowing | The city |
If you see a city manhole overflowing, Phoenix's sewer FAQ says to call 602-262-6691 during business hours, or 602-261-8000 "after normal hours or on weekends." The city's sewer FAQ also notes it is "only responsible for city owned infrastructure," and that "A plumber should be contacted for home plumbing inspections."
A backup that shows up only in your house usually points to your own line. A plumber clears it through the cleanout with a drain machine or a water jetter, then can run a camera to see what caused it.
Why does sewage come up in the tub or shower first?
Because it's usually the lowest drain on the line. When the main sewer line clogs, wastewater backs up until it finds the lowest opening, and in a single-story Phoenix home that's often the tub or a shower. A toilet sits higher. Our page on why water comes up in the shower when you flush covers the mechanics.
The two causes Phoenix names most often are grease and roots. The city says "The two primary causes of sewer backups and overflows are grease and roots," and that grease "is the most frequent cause of sewer problems." Its sewer FAQ explains that grease "will cool as it enters the sewer line and it will coagulate, causing a blockage," and that roots from "trees and invasive shrubs, such as oleanders" can get in through joints and "form a root ball once inside the pipe."
How do you clean up sewage safely?
Clean up soon, and dress for it. Washington State's health department says thorough cleaning protects people, especially small children, "from harmful bacteria and viruses," and that clean-up "should begin as soon as possible." Its steps:
- Protect yourself. "Wear rubber gloves and boots. Use eye protection." Afterward, "Wash your hands thoroughly and launder clothes separately."
- Clean the tub and fixtures. "Clean sinks, dishwashers, and other plumbing fixtures that have had sewage back-up with detergent, and then rinse with the bleach solution."
- Clean hard surfaces. Wash floors and hard furniture "with hot water and a mild detergent," then rinse with a bleach solution of "one tablespoon of liquid household unscented bleach to one gallon of water." Let it air dry.
- Deal with carpet. "Saturated wall-to-wall carpeting (and the pad) usually cannot be adequately cleaned." The department says to remove it, or hire a licensed carpet cleaner to steam clean and disinfect it.
- Replace soaked drywall. Remove plaster or drywall "that have been saturated and are soft to the touch."
- Disinfect your tools. Rinse mops, brooms, and brushes with the bleach solution.
- Dry it out. Open windows and doors and run fans. The EPA says that if wet materials are "dried 24-48 hours after a leak or spill happens, in most cases mold will not grow."
### What can you save, and what has to go?
Hard, nonporous items usually clean up. Soft, absorbent ones often don't. The Washington State guidance sorts them this way:
| Item | What to do |
|---|---|
| Tub, sinks, toilets, tile, hard floors | Wash with detergent, then rinse with the bleach solution |
| Loose rugs, bath mats, drapes, upholstered furniture | "should be professionally cleaned," telling the cleaner about the sewage |
| Wall-to-wall carpet and pad that got soaked | Usually removed and discarded |
| Drywall that is saturated and soft | Removed and replaced |
| Food in paper or cardboard, unpackaged food, home-canned food | Discard |
| Undamaged commercial cans | Remove labels, wash, rinse, and sanitize before use |
Wash towels and clothing that touched sewage separately from other laundry, the same way the department says to launder cleanup clothes. When in doubt about a porous item that sat in sewage, throw it out.
Large backups that reach carpet, walls, or several rooms are worth a professional water damage cleanup. For the insurance side, see whether homeowners insurance covers a sewer backup.
How do you keep sewage from backing up again?
Find the cause and fix it, not just the clog. Once the line is clear, a camera inspection shows whether the blockage was grease, roots, a sag in the pipe, or a broken section. Then:
- Keep grease out of drains. Phoenix's advice: "Allow the grease or cooking oil to cool in the cookware that was used, and then scrape it into the trash can."
- Plant away from the line. The city says not to plant "a tree or large shrub too near your property line, over or near the sewer line or cleanout for your home."
- Consider a backwater valve. It lets sewage flow out but not back in. Our page on when a backwater valve is required explains where it helps.
Our page on maintaining your sewer line to prevent backups covers the rest.
HQ Plumbing & Air clears sewer backups 24/7 across the Phoenix area, with camera inspection to find the cause, licensed and insured, with upfront pricing. See our drain cleaning service. If your home has a sewage ejector pump, also see why a sewage ejector pump runs but does not pump and why a sewage ejector pump keeps tripping the breaker.
Stop the water, protect the people, then clear the line. The cleanup comes after the clog is gone.