Sewer Backup in Southern Prince George's County: Who Clears It and Who Pays

What do I do first when sewage rises in the house?

Stop using water in the house, keep children and pets out of the affected area, and avoid walking through the sewage. Find out whether the water rose while taps or appliances were running or while nothing was in use, because that answer points to the side of the pipe where the blockage most likely sits.

Sewage carries bacteria and other contaminants, and it can be on the floor long before it is seen. Do not run the drains, the washer or the dishwasher while you wait, because more water will push the blockage further and fill the room again. Turn off the power to the wet area only if the panel is dry and you can reach it without standing in water.

Once the room is safe, record what you see. Write down the time, the rooms affected and whether the water was rising from a floor drain, a toilet or a shower. The notes help the plumber, the utility and the insurer work out the cause.

Whose pipe is it, and who pays to clear it?

The pipe from the house to the sewer main is divided into a house side and a utility side. WSSC clears a blockage on its own side at no charge. The plumber who clears the house side is paid by the homeowner first, and the question of recovering that cost depends on where the blockage was found.

A plumber registered in the WSSC district is the right person to find the blockage and say which side it is on. If sewage came up while water was running, the blockage is most often on the house side, and the homeowner's plumber comes first. If sewage came up with no water running, or the plumber finds the blockage in a pipe WSSC maintains, the utility's emergency crew comes out.

Ask the plumber to record exactly where the blockage was found and to write it on the invoice. That record is what decides who handles the next step, so it is worth asking for before the plumber leaves.

How do I file a claim for a backup WSSC caused?

Claims for sewer backups that WSSC caused go to the WSSC Claims Office at 301-206-7095. Keep the plumber's record of where the blockage was found, photographs, and a list of damaged items with their age and cost. The utility's claims brochure gives a typical resolution time, so ask the claims office for the current figure rather than relying on an old one.

Claims are judged on the evidence, so the file should be complete before it is sent. Include the dated photographs, the plumber's invoice, the drying records and any receipts for materials that were removed. A short written account of the time and the sequence of events helps the claims office follow the case.

Keep a copy of everything you send, and note the date and the name of each person you speak to. If a claim is slow or refused, ask the claims office for its reasons in writing before deciding on the next step.

• The plumber's invoice showing where the blockage was found.
• Photographs of the drain, the floor and the damaged items.
• Receipts for cleaning, drying and removed materials.

Does a sewer backup count as a water damage claim on my home policy?

Sewer backup is covered by a homeowners policy only with the water and sewer backup endorsement, which Maryland insurers must offer but which is optional to buy. The endorsement generally pays for the water damage in the house, while the repair of the pipe is usually the owner's cost. The utility's claims process is separate from the insurer's.

Keep the two claims apart in your mind. The utility answers questions about the pipe and the blockage, and the insurer answers questions about the damage inside the house under the policy wording. A claim to one does not settle the other, and a denial from one does not decide the other.

Check the declarations page for the endorsement before a backup happens, because it is hard to add one after the water is already on the floor.

What cleanup does a sewage backup need inside the house?

Sewage-contaminated materials are handled differently from clean-water damage. Porous materials that soaked up the water, such as carpet, pad and drywall, usually come out, and hard surfaces are cleaned and disinfected before drying. The air is moved only after the contaminated materials are gone.

The people doing the cleanup should wear protective equipment and should not use the room while it is being worked on. Keep children and pets out of the area until it has been cleaned and checked, and ask the technician when the room is safe to use again.

Drying follows the removal. Framing and subfloors are dried against moisture readings, and the technician shows the final readings before the room is closed up. A cleanup that skips the readings is one to question.