Sewage & biohazard · Emergency service
Sewage & Biohazard Cleanup in Pennsylvania
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.

Sewage & Biohazard Cleanup in Pennsylvania: local conditions
Partner coverage for sewage and biohazard cleanup in Pennsylvania includes 1,110 ZIP codes, with local pages for Philadelphia, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton. Call with your ZIP to confirm a company serves your address.
Heavy storms, including the remnants of Ida in 2021, have flooded basements across southeastern Pennsylvania. Older combined sewers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can back up during heavy rain. The Susquehanna, Delaware, Schuylkill and Allegheny river valleys have long histories of flooding during tropical storms and snowmelt. Shared walls and century-old drain lines mean leaks and backups can affect neighbors too.
In Philadelphia: The remnants of Ida in 2021 flooded basements and neighborhoods along the Schuylkill River, including Manayunk and Eastwick. In Pittsburgh: Combined sewers in older neighborhoods back up during heavy rain, and ALCOSAN is in the middle of a long-term upgrade to reduce overflows. In Allentown: Heavy storms, like Ida's remnants in 2021, overwhelm drainage and flood basements and low streets. In Scranton: Abandoned coal mines under parts of the region can collapse, shifting foundations and breaking water and sewer lines. Pennsylvania offers state mine subsidence insurance.
Stone and brick homes with plaster walls are common, as are cast-iron and clay sewer laterals. Older homes may also contain asbestos or lead paint, which must be handled carefully during demolition.
Pennsylvania requires home improvement contractors to register with the Attorney General's office under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA). The registration number must appear on contracts.
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 Pennsylvania
- 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
- Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania 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
Is sewer backup covered in Pennsylvania?
Usually only with a sewer or water backup endorsement on your homeowners policy. Check your declarations page before a storm season.
How do I verify a Pennsylvania contractor?
Look up their HICPA registration on the Pennsylvania Attorney General's website, and ask for proof of insurance.
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 Pennsylvania
Other services in Pennsylvania
Related pages
More about water and storm damage in Pennsylvania, or see sewage & biohazard cleanup nationwide.
Related services

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.
Learn more
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.
Learn more
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.
Learn moreWater, 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.
