Biohazard and Sewage Emergency Tips

What you can do until help arrives

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The Best Steps to Take After Biohazardous Threats to Your Chicago Home

Bio-threats are situations where such immediate contamination and hazard risks exist that it is unsafe for homeowners and property owners to stay around. For this reason, many of the residents that encounter these conditions must relocate until the appropriate cleaning and restoration actions have taken place. For Chicago homes, several of these bio-threats are common occurrences that our SERVPRO professionals must prepare to face regularly.

But what can you, the homeowner, do?

Is There Any Benefit to Pre-Restoration Actions?

There are many unforeseen variables with biohazardous threats. From sewage backups that can migrate through the flooring assembly to the main level of the house to clearing out the room of a residence following trauma or crime, there is a high probability that lingering in the affected areas can do more harm than good for the property owner. Misjudging the severity of a situation in your Chicago residence can lead to injury, health effects, or other damaging outcomes.

As the owner of the property, you are not powerless to help. Situations like expected flooding where your home is in the path of the rising waters from bodies like the Fulton River, you can preemptively take action to reduce the destruction to your most prized possessions.

• Move items to higher ground
• Ventilate the house
• Attempt to place sandbags or other damming products
• Take valuables and irreplaceable items with you when relocating

Need Biohazard Cleanup? Call Us Today – (773) 434-9100

After any biohazard or sewage contamination in your home or business, your primary focus should be safety:

  • Is it safe to stay in the house?
  • Exposure to biological and chemical contaminants can pose serious health consequences.
  • Flood water can contain sewage, pesticides, and other contaminants.
  • Only do activities that are safe for you to perform.

What to Do After a Contamination

  • Stay out of affected areas.
  • Call emergency service personnel if the situation is life-threatening.
  • Treat all bodily fluids as if they are contaminated.
  • Turn off the HVAC system if there is sewage damage.

What Not to Do After a Contamination

  • Don’t leave wet fabrics in place. Hang furs and leather goods.
  • Don’t leave books, magazines, or other colored items on wet carpet or floors.
  • Don’t use your household vacuum to remove water.
  • Don’t use television or other household appliances.
  • Don’t turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet, and keep out of rooms where ceilings are sagging.

24 Hour Emergency Service

Biohazards like flood water or sewer backups should be considered an emergency and dealt with as quickly as possible. SERVPRO of West Loop / Bucktown / Greektown has water damage restoration specialists and has specific training and expertise to safely remediate biohazard contaminants.

We are proud to serve our local communities:

  • Chicago
  • West Loop
  • Bucktown
  • Wicker Park
  • University Village - Little Italy
  • Ukranian Village

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