What to do before we arrive
Four things, in this order. They make a real difference to how much damage you are cleaning up afterwards.
- Stop all water going down any drain. That includes the dishwasher and washing machine, which are the two people forget. Every litre that goes in has to come out somewhere, and right now that somewhere is your floor.
- Stop flushing. Testing whether it is still blocked adds to the volume with no information gained.
- Keep people and pets away from standing sewage. It carries bacteria. Keep children out of the area entirely.
- If you can reach the cleanout safely, open it. On a yard cleanout this can relieve pressure and send the overflow outside instead of into the house. Stand clear when you open it — it may be under pressure.
Do not pour drain chemicals into a line that is already backed up. They sit in the standing water, do nothing to the blockage, and make the water a hazard for whoever works in it next.
What counts as an emergency
| Situation | Call now | Can wait for morning |
|---|---|---|
| Sewage coming up through a floor drain | Yes | |
| Nothing in the house draining at all | Yes | |
| Sewage surfacing in the yard | Yes | |
| Only toilet in the house unusable | Yes | |
| Strong sewer gas smell indoors | Yes | |
| One slow drain, others fine | Yes | |
| Occasional gurgling, everything draining | Yes | |
| Damp patch in the lawn, no backup | Yes |
If you are on the right-hand side of that table, calling in the morning costs you less and loses you nothing. We will say so on the phone.
Winter emergencies here
Littleton swings above and below freezing dozens of times each winter, and that movement opens joints that were tight in autumn. Backups cluster after the first hard freeze and again during the spring thaw. Frozen ground also makes any excavation slower, which is worth knowing when we give you a timeframe in January rather than July.
After the immediate problem is cleared
Getting the line flowing is the first half. The second half is finding out why it stopped, because a backup is almost never the beginning of the problem. We run the camera once the line is open, and you see what caused it — roots, a belly, a failed section — along with what it would take to stop it happening again. More on camera inspection.
Backing up right now?
Stop running water, keep clear of standing sewage, and call. Phones answered 24 hours.
Call (303) 555-0147Questions we get asked
Do you charge extra for night and weekend calls?
After-hours work costs more than a scheduled daytime visit, which is standard across the trade. What we will not do is send someone out at 2am for a situation that can safely wait until 8am. If that is your situation, we will say so on the phone.
How fast can you get to me in Littleton?
It depends on the time, the weather and where in the service area you are. We give an honest arrival window when you call rather than an optimistic one, because knowing whether it is 40 minutes or three hours changes what you do in the meantime.
What should I do while waiting for you?
Stop all water going down any drain including the dishwasher and washing machine, stop flushing, keep people and pets away from standing sewage, and if you can safely reach a yard cleanout, open it to relieve pressure. Stand clear when you do.
Is a sewage backup dangerous?
Standing sewage carries bacteria and should be treated as a health hazard. Keep children and pets out of the area entirely, avoid skin contact, and ventilate the space. Do not use a household vacuum on it.
Can you fix it the same night or just stop the backup?
Usually we can get the line flowing the same visit, which stops the damage. The permanent repair depends on what the camera shows afterwards — some findings are a same-day fix and others need a permit and a scheduled excavation.
Call now, not in the morning
Stop running water anywhere in the house, keep people away from standing sewage, and ring. Every hour a backup sits, more of it ends up somewhere you have to clean.
Platte Sewer Co. — sewer line repair in Littleton, CO. Open 24 hours.