Sewage backup cleanup in Pennsylvania

Partner coverage for sewage and biohazard cleanup in Pennsylvania includes 1,110 ZIP codes, with local pages for Philadelphia, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton. Call with your ZIP to confirm a company serves your address.

Heavy storms, including the remnants of Ida in 2021, have flooded basements across southeastern Pennsylvania. Older combined sewers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can back up during heavy rain. Shared walls and century-old drain lines mean leaks and backups can affect neighbors too.

In Philadelphia: About 60% of Philadelphia is served by combined sewers, which can back up into basements during heavy rain. In Pittsburgh: Combined sewers in older neighborhoods back up during heavy rain, and ALCOSAN is in the middle of a long-term upgrade to reduce overflows. In Scranton: Abandoned coal mines under parts of the region can collapse, shifting foundations and breaking water and sewer lines. Pennsylvania offers state mine subsidence insurance. In Harrisburg: Older rowhomes have clay or cast-iron sewer laterals that crack and back up into basements.

Stone and brick homes with plaster walls are common, as are cast-iron and clay sewer laterals. Older homes may also contain asbestos or lead paint, which must be handled carefully during demolition.

Pennsylvania requires home improvement contractors to register with the Attorney General's office under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA). The registration number must appear on contracts.