Why Decontamination Is the Critical Step
Extraction removes the visible water. Demolition removes contaminated materials that cannot be saved. But without proper decontamination, the pathogens that were in the sewage water remain on every hard surface they touched: concrete floors, wood framing, metal pipes, wall studs, and any non-porous surface in the affected area. These surfaces look clean after the water is gone. They are not.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, E. coli can survive on dry surfaces for several months. Hepatitis A virus survives on environmental surfaces for months, according to peer-reviewed research published in the CDC's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal. Norovirus is stable on hard surfaces at room temperature for days to weeks. The decontamination step is what breaks this survival window and makes the space genuinely safe for your family.
What Our Decontamination Process Involves
Product Selection: Not All Disinfectants Are Equal
The EPA registers disinfectants against specific pathogens and publishes lists of products with proven efficacy. For sewage events, the relevant EPA-approved product categories include those with kill claims against E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, Norovirus, Hepatitis A virus, and fungal pathogens including Aspergillus species that thrive in post-sewage mold growth. Our AMRT-certified technicians select products based on the specific pathogen profile and the surface type being treated.
Concentration and Dwell Time
Every EPA-registered disinfectant has a label-specified concentration and dwell time. The dwell time is the period the surface must remain visibly wet with product for the kill claim to be valid. Applying a disinfectant and immediately wiping it away does not meet the label requirement and does not achieve the kill rate. Our technicians apply product and monitor dwell time on every treated surface.
HEPA Air Scrubbing
HEPA air scrubbers with negative air pressure run throughout the decontamination process. These machines draw contaminated air through HEPA filters rated to capture particles 0.3 microns and larger at 99.97% efficiency. Sewage bioaerosols, mold spores, and bacterial endotoxins fall within this capture range. The scrubbers run continuously from the start of decontamination through final clearance.
Clearance Testing
The final step is verification. A clearance inspection confirms moisture readings are within IICRC drying standards and visual inspection shows no remaining visible contamination. For events involving significant mold growth, air quality sampling may be performed. You receive written clearance documentation that is accepted by Utah insurance carriers as confirmation of compliant remediation.