Dealing with sewage losses...

[Walrus Gumboot]

1 - Do you guys have a unit specifically used for sewage extraction, and how do you clean it up afterwards?
2 - Does anyone use PAPR respirators, and do they eliminate the smell?
3 - What percentage of your calls are for sewage?

My son and I are starting a water damage business but neither one of us want to do sewage losses. Just too hazardous imo. But, I would hate to turn down work from someone that is also sending us cat 1 and 2 losses.
Comments please.

 

[tres davis]

Just send all your sewage losses to us ha

They really aren't that bad. If you have a full face respirator that fits properly you won't smell a thing

Heavy duty tyvek, heavy duty rubber gloves, tape the sleeve and voila

Shop vac is usually plenty good for extraction of the chunkies. We don't pull any hoses in until we are ready to clean the concrete usually

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

Good advice.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Its up to you if you want to do them or not. If you don't want to, I wouldn't.

Sewage clean up is very intensive work and takes someone capable of detail cleaning and wanting to do good work.

No need for PAPR, a full face will work fine at a fraction of the cost. Jondon has a good selection for around $100.00.

Less than 5% of the calls are for Sewage clean up. The calls are less frequent but they are time eaters. I can send 3-4 guys to a sewage loss and they are lost for the day.

While an average WDR can be processed in 2-3 hours by 2 men.

 

[FredC]

get your hep vaccines as an additional precaution

 

[Mark Saiger]

And look out for low coverage by insurance companies... And people thinking they have full coverage for this type of work... And find out they only have $5000 coverage.... Or less... Or maybe a little more.

And you are now doing some of the more expensive billed wdr work.

Can have some pretty angry clients when you start work only for both of you to find limited coverage... Or non.

Yes the work needs to be done... But they might not be able to pay you... Or pay at all.

Just some precautions

 

[Desk Jockey]

Mark makes a key point, we don't process Sewage without a site inspection. We want everyone to be on the same page so we narrow that estimate down as much as possible.

Most coverages are just 5k and our average cleanup is $3500.00 to save nothing. 5-6 k is not unusual and we have had some extremely large, packed basements double that.

If they are not regular clients we ask 1/2 down to start work. We take Visa, Mastercard, Discover, for those without the funds in their checking account.

Generally if they can't come up with the money in the beginning, they are not going to be able to come up with it in the end. I'd rather lose a risky payer to my competitors than to do it and never get paid.