3 Things To Do When Your Toilet Overflows

4/22/2018 (Permalink)

Nothing can ruin your day like a flooded toilet. Beyond the ick factor, you usually have to act fast to prevent serious water damage. If you’ve had a major flood in your house thanks to sewer damage in Raleigh, NC, you should call a water restoration specialist ASAP. In the meantime, here are some tips to mitigate the damage.

1. Stop the Water Flow

Any sewage company will likely tell you, in the event of a flooded toilet, step one is shutting off the water source. You can do this by turning off the valve behind the fixture. This may not solve your bathroom woes, but it can help stop the spread of water damage.

2. Clean Up Standing Water

It’s good planning to have gloves, mops, rags, paper towels and other cleaning materials on hand for an emergency. Standing water—the visible water that has flooded—should be absorbed as quickly as possible before it seeps into the flooring.

For a serious flood that affects two floors, you may have to remove the flooring and ceilings. Sewer damage that seeps into the floor can lead to the formation of mold. By removing the wet materials, you’re often able to disinfect and dry everything out to ensure that you don’t get any nasty surprises down the road.

3. Ventilate

Air out the rooms as best as you can. Open all the windows and bring in any fans you have around the house. Keeping the air moving can help dry out the area and reduce humidity before your water restoration specialist arrives.

Sewer damage from a flooded toilet is never fun, but if you act fast with these simple steps, you can have a better chance at reducing the extent of the damage to your home. Because of the bacteria inherent in toilet water, for any major amount of flooding, be sure to call a professional in Raleigh, NC, to assist in clean up. For more information, visit http://www.SERVPROeastraleighzebulon.com/.