Sewage Line Backup Restoration — Clearfield, UT
Loss Type: Category 3 Water / Main Sewage Line Backup
Location: Clearfield, UT near 1000 North
Response Time: 42 minutes
Job Duration: 7 days
Insurance: Yes – Allstate (sewer backup endorsement)
The Situation
A homeowner near 1000 North in Clearfield called us at 9:15 PM after sewage began backing up through both the basement floor drain and the basement bathroom toilet simultaneously — a sign of a main line blockage rather than a localized clog. The finished basement included a family room, a full bathroom, a guest bedroom, and a storage area. All four spaces had been exposed to Category 3 sewage water before the homeowner could shut off water use in the home.
Our crew arrived in 42 minutes with full Category 3 PPE and containment equipment. A plumber was dispatched simultaneously to address the main line blockage.
The Problem
A simultaneous backup through both a floor drain and a toilet indicates the main sewer line leaving the home is blocked — in this case a root intrusion was later confirmed by the plumber using a camera inspection. The volume of Category 3 sewage water that had entered the basement was significant, covering approximately 680 square feet of finished space to a depth of 1 to 2 inches in the lower areas.
Under IICRC S500 Category 3 standards every porous material in the basement that contacted sewage was classified as unsalvageable. This included all carpet and pad, all drywall to 12 inches above the flood line in all four rooms, all baseboards, the bathroom vanity cabinet base, and stored personal items on the floor. The guest bedroom had a bed frame and mattress that had also been contaminated.
The Allstate sewer backup endorsement covered the full remediation scope. The adjuster was on-site the following morning.
What We Did
We established full containment with a sealed barrier at the basement stairwell and began truck-mounted Category 3 extraction. All contaminated porous materials were removed, bagged in 6-mil poly, and disposed of as regulated biological waste. Demolition scope included:
- Approximately 680 square feet of carpet and pad across all four rooms
- Drywall removed to 12 inches above flood line in all rooms — approximately 220 linear feet
- All baseboards, door casings, and bathroom vanity base cabinet
- Contaminated personal contents — mattress, cardboard storage boxes, fabric items
Following demolition all exposed concrete, framing, and block foundation surfaces were treated with an EPA List N disinfectant rated for Category 3 biological contamination. The bathroom toilet and plumbing fixtures were disinfected in place. A second application of disinfectant was performed 24 hours after the first to ensure full contact time on the porous concrete slab.
The post-demolition drying system included:
- 4 commercial dehumidifiers running continuously across all basement rooms
- 8 air movers directed at concrete slab, wall framing, and block foundation walls
- Desiccant dehumidifier added on day 4 to address moisture retained in the concrete block
- Twice-daily moisture readings logged across all surfaces for the insurance file
An independent industrial hygienist performed clearance testing on day 7 before the job was signed off.
The Outcome
Clearance testing confirmed the space was safe for reconstruction. The Allstate claim covered the full remediation scope. The plumber’s root intrusion repair was handled as a separate claim item. A rebuild contractor restored all four basement rooms including new drywall, flooring, and bathroom fixtures. The homeowner also had a backwater valve installed on the main line during the rebuild — a prevention measure we documented as a recommendation in our job report.
“This was the worst thing that ever happened to our home. The Upkeep crew was there fast, worked through the night on demo, and kept us informed every step of the way. They dealt with Allstate directly and made sure everything was documented for the claim. Couldn’t have gotten through it without them.”
— R. and D. Espinoza, Clearfield UT
Related Case Studies
If you found this case study helpful, the following projects cover similar events across Davis County. Our work on a Category 3 sewage loss in South Weber documents another main-line contamination event with comparable demolition scope. Our project covering a sewage backup in a finished basement in Layton shows how we handle the same type of loss in a different city. For other Clearfield basement events, see our documentation of another Clearfield basement loss involving sump pump failure, and our write-up on related mold risk after water events in Clearfield, which shows the secondary contamination risk that Category 3 losses create when drying is incomplete.
View more of our water damage and sewage restoration case studies across Davis County.