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Pennsylvania services / Sewage Cleanup
Sewage in the basement is a Category 3 biohazard. Keep kids and pets out, and call now.
Sewage backups are the most dangerous water emergency a homeowner can face. Contaminated 'black water' carries bacteria, viruses, and parasites — porous materials it touches usually cannot be saved. Older Pennsylvania cities with combined sewers (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Norristown) see backups surge during heavy rain.
Do not walk through sewage water. Turn off HVAC so contamination doesn't spread through ductwork.
If the backup came from the city main, report it — some PA municipalities have claims programs for sewer backups.
Crews in protective gear extract the waste, remove contaminated porous materials (carpet, drywall, insulation), and haul them as regulated waste.
Antimicrobial treatment of all affected surfaces, then full structural drying with verification readings.
Only if you carry a sewer/water backup endorsement — it's excluded from standard policies. In Pennsylvania it typically costs $40–$80/year. Check your declarations page now, not after a loss.
Non-porous items (glass, metal, hard plastic) can be sanitized. Porous materials — carpet, padding, drywall, upholstered furniture, mattresses — almost always must be discarded.
Many older PA cities use combined sewers carrying both sewage and stormwater. Heavy rain overwhelms the system and pushes water back through floor drains. A backwater valve is the best prevention.
RestorePA lists shops that publicly advertise sewage / Category 3 cleanup. Not every water-damage crew takes black water — check the service list on each card, or send one free match and we will prefer sewage-capable shops.
No. Clean supply-line water is Category 1. Sewage is Category 3: stay out, shut off HVAC if you can, and hire a crew that will remove porous materials and sanitize. A regular extraction-only job is not enough.
Philadelphia, PA · 10 yrs in business
Independent / locally listed
Locally owned Philadelphia restoration company offering 24/7 water extraction, mold remediation, sewage cleanup, fire/smoke restoration, and reconstruction. IICRC-certified team serving Greater Philly and surrounding suburbs.
Ephrata, PA · 49 yrs in business
Independent / locally listed
Locally owned South Central PA restoration company for nearly 50 years. Offices serving Lancaster, York, and Lehigh Valley with water, fire, mold, and commercial large-loss response.
Harrisburg, PA
Advanced DRI (multi-location)
IICRC-certified disaster restoration with a Harrisburg office serving Dauphin, York, Lancaster, and Cumberland counties. The Harrisburg office page names Harrisburg, Carlisle, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, and Hershey. 24/7 water, fire, mold, and storm damage response across Central PA.
Willow Grove, PA · 21 yrs in business
Independent / locally listed
Locally owned restoration firm (HQ Willow Grove) handling water damage, sewage, mold, fire, and asbestos-related cleanup across Philly and Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, and Chester counties. BBB A+; advertises 24/7 emergency response. Feasterville-Trevose location on the company site.
Collingdale, PA
SERVPRO franchise
Franchise restoration team serving South Philadelphia and southeast Delaware County. 24/7 water, fire, mold, and biohazard cleanup with national brand processes.
Pittsburgh, PA
911 Restoration franchise
Pittsburgh franchise specializing in water, sewage, smoke, and fire damage repair. Offers insurance claim assistance and around-the-clock emergency service.
These are general Pennsylvania estimates for planning, not a bid and not an average from RestorePA jobs. Actual cost depends on square footage, water category, how long materials stayed wet, and what your insurer authorizes. Ask every shop for a written scope.
Typically more than a clean-water dry-out
Porous materials are usually discarded as regulated waste. Ask for a line-item scope, not a verbal number.
$800–$2,500 installed
General PA installed-cost range from our sewage guide. Some municipalities offer subsidies.
Only cities with at least two shops that already list this service.
