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Sewage & biohazard · Emergency service

Sewage & Biohazard Cleanup in California

Sewage backups, contaminated floodwater and other biohazards are Category 3 losses. They need protective equipment, removal of porous materials that were touched, cleaning and disinfection of everything else, and careful drying.

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Technician in a safety vest and hard hat inspecting the floor along a wall in a bright room

Sewage & Biohazard Cleanup in California: local conditions

Partner coverage for sewage and biohazard cleanup in California includes 1,464 ZIP codes, with local pages for Los Angeles, San Jose, Sacramento, Fresno, San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Pasadena, Bakersfield, Stockton, San Bernardino, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Glendale, Berkeley, Modesto, Torrance, Oxnard, Moreno Valley, Santa Rosa, Corona, Salinas, Hayward, Santa Clara, Fontana, Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Visalia, Fremont, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Lancaster, Sunnyvale, Thousand Oaks, Burbank, Inglewood, Santa Monica, Whittier, San Luis Obispo, Concord, Santa Cruz, Temecula, Palo Alto, Mountain View, San Mateo, Clovis, Simi Valley. Call with your ZIP to confirm a company serves your address.

Winter storms can bring days of heavy rain, flooding homes and causing mudslides, especially near burn scars.

In Los Angeles: Winter storms bring days of heavy rain, flooding streets and causing mudslides on hillsides and burn scars. In San Diego: Chollas Creek and other urban channels overflowed during the January 2024 storm, flooding nearby homes in minutes. In San Jose: Creeks that run through the city rise quickly during atmospheric river storms, as in February 2017. In Sacramento: The Sacramento and American rivers flood during prolonged winter storms, and many neighborhoods, including Natomas, sit in protected floodplains behind levees.

Slab and raised-foundation homes are both common, with many older homes on raised foundations with crawlspaces, especially in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.

California requires contractors on jobs of $500 or more (labor and materials) to be licensed by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). Check the license on the CSLB website.

What you can expect

  • One call connects you with an independent restoration company that serves your ZIP code.
  • Fast call-back during business hours
  • Serving California
  • Photo and moisture documentation for insurance

Sewage & Biohazard Cleanup at a glance

Category
Sewage & biohazard
Emergency service
Yes, call for fastest response
Typical first step
Protect people and contain the area
Area
California

Other risks in California

Wildfire, smoke and soot

Wildfires destroy homes and send smoke and ash into many more, requiring smoke and soot cleanup.

Earthquakes

Earthquakes can break supply lines and topple unstrapped water heaters, causing sudden water damage.

Signs you need sewage & biohazard cleanup

  • Water or waste coming up through floor drains, toilets or tubs
  • A strong sewage smell in a basement or bathroom
  • Floodwater that entered the home from outside

How the work is done

Protect people and contain the area, then Remove contaminated water, then Remove porous materials, then Clean and disinfect, then Verify and rebuild. See the full sewage & biohazard cleanup process.

What affects the cost

Prices depend on the job, so restoration companies in California quote after an assessment. The main drivers are how much area is affected, how long it stayed wet, and what has to be removed or rebuilt. See the full list of sewage & biohazard cleanup cost factors.

Sewage & Biohazard Cleanup questions

How do I clean wildfire smoke and ash from a California home?

Avoid stirring up ash; use HEPA vacuums rather than sweeping, change HVAC filters, and have soot and odor professionally cleaned if smoke entered the home.

How do I verify a California contractor?

Search the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) license lookup for license status, bonds and workers' comp.

Can I clean up a small sewage backup myself?

A small backup on a hard, non-porous floor sometimes can be with gloves, boots and disinfectant. Anything that reached carpet, drywall or other porous materials needs professional cleanup.

Does homeowners insurance cover sewage backups?

Usually only with a sewer or drain backup endorsement. Flooding from outside needs a flood policy.

Cities in California

Other services in California

Related pages

More about water and storm damage in California, or see sewage & biohazard cleanup nationwide.

Related services

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Sewage backup cleanup

Sewage cleanup treats the water as Category 3 (grossly contaminated): crews in protective gear remove it, discard porous materials it touched, clean and disinfect hard surfaces, and dry the structure.

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Biohazard cleanup

Biohazard cleanup removes and disposes of blood, bodily fluids and other potentially infectious material, then cleans and disinfects the area so it's safe to use.

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Flood damage cleanup

Flood cleanup treats outside floodwater as contaminated: it removes water and mud, cuts out wet drywall and insulation above the waterline, sanitizes, and dries the structure.

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Water, mold or fire damage? Get the right crew on it.

One call connects you with an independent restoration company that serves your ZIP code. Fast call-back during business hours.

(866) 948-3156
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