Sewage and toilet backups
Sewage in the house is not a mop job. Keep everyone out of the room.
Sewage is contaminated water, and the longer it sits in flooring and drywall the more has to be cut out. Here is how to stay safe, what clearing the line and the cleanup should cost, and who to call.
Keep children and pets out of the room. Do not touch the water bare-handed. If it reached an outlet or a floor heater, stay out and kill the breaker from a dry spot.
Where is my main valve? ›BestHonestPro is a free comparison resource, not a contractor. There is nothing to sign up for and we do not sell your details. When we begin connecting callers to contractors, we will be paid a referral fee by the contractor, never by you, and this line will say so.
The next five minutes
Do this now
- Close the valve behind the toilet.
- Close the bathroom door and put a towel along the bottom to keep pets out.
- Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and goggles if you must go in. The CDC's rule for sewage cleanup.
- Open a window and turn the bathroom fan on. Turn the HVAC off so the air handler does not spread it.
- Photograph the room from the doorway.
- Wash your hands and any skin that touched the water with soap and clean water. Clean any cut immediately.
Do not
- Do not use a household vacuum or shop vac on sewage. It aerosolizes it.
- Do not mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner. The CDC warns it makes poisonous gas.
- Do not try to save the bath mat, rug or anything absorbent that it soaked.
Where this comes from
- IICRC S500 Consensus Body, Category of Water and Weather-Related Events position statement, January 2026
- SCRT, Consumer right to know, IICRC S500 categories
- US CDC, Guidelines for cleaning safely after a disaster
- US CDC, What to do to prevent getting hurt or sick after a disaster
- HomeGuide, sewage cleanup cost, 2026
- Texas Department of Insurance, water damage and your policy
- Texas Department of Insurance, homeowners insurance and disaster claims FAQ
Which one is it?
Pick what you are looking at
Each answer tells you what is probably happening, what to shut off, who to call and what it should cost.
Published cost ranges
What it should cost
National published ranges, not a quote for your job. Use them to judge whether the number in front of you is in the right place.
| Sewage cleanup, one roomSewage cleanup, small spill in a single room. Larger backups run $3,000 to $7,000. | $2,000 to $3,000 |
|---|---|
| Clearing the main line, then cleanupMain sewer line clog, average $380. Sewage cleanup, medium backup across multiple rooms. | $99 to $1,600 to clear the line, then $3,000 to $7,000 to clean up |
| Toilet repair, clean waterToilet repair, typical range, average $271. Fill valve $50 to $150, clog clearing $85 to $600 from the same source. | $150 to $391 |
Source: HomeGuide, sewage cleanup cost, 2026; Angi, main sewer line clog repair cost, updated July 2026 and HomeGuide, sewage cleanup cost, 2026; Angi, toilet repair cost, updated July 2026.
Insurance. Toilet overflow is covered as a sudden loss by most policies (Texas Department of Insurance). Backup from the sewer itself is different: only some policies cover water or sewage from outside that enters through sewers or drains, often as an added endorsement. In Florida, read what a Florida policy usually pays after a leak.
Before anyone comes out
Ask these on the phone
Are you treating this as Category 3 under S500, and what does that change in the scope?
What comes out (flooring, baseboard, vanity base) and what gets cleaned in place?
What disinfectant are you using, and will you document it?
Will the room below or next door be checked for migration?
Turn it off. Then call the right people.
Bring the questions above to every company you call, and compare the answers.
BestHonestPro is a free comparison resource, not a contractor. There is nothing to sign up for and we do not sell your details. When we begin connecting callers to contractors, we will be paid a referral fee by the contractor, never by you, and this line will say so.