Sewer Backup Scarborough
Sewer backup Scarborough basements see after heavy rain is contaminated and needs careful removal and disinfection.
Fully licensed and insured
Open 24 hours, 7 days
Process
We isolate the room, discard soaked carpet and drywall, wash and treat the hard surfaces, then dry the space and check it with a meter.
Call 311 if the water came from the street side. Cleanup, disinfecting, drying and the rebuild stay with one team, and your insurance company is billed directly by us.
When the creek and the sewer meet
Because Highland Creek can rise in heavy rain, sewer outfalls near it can be affected, and low houses on its slopes sometimes see backups when the sewer cannot drain. That is the kind of backup we see most after a long storm in the south of Scarborough.
If you see water in a floor drain, keep people and pets away, avoid running water and call us. If the water came from the street side, report it to 311 as well.
Basement apartments
Many Scarborough homes have basement apartments with their own kitchens and bathrooms. A backup can affect a tenant and an owner. We document each unit and can work with both.
Do not
- Run taps
- Flush toilets
- Walk in the water
What to do while you wait for the crew
Stay out of the affected room. Sewage water carries bacteria, and contact through cuts or by touching your mouth is the main risk. Do not run taps, flush toilets or start the dishwasher or washing machine, because each of those sends more water toward the same blocked line. Photograph the drain, the water line and any damaged belongings from the doorway. Open a window upstairs if the smell is strong and the weather allows, and keep the door to the affected area closed so contaminated air does not spread through the house.
If the backup began after heavy rain, mention that on the phone. It tells us the municipal sewer may be overloaded and that water could return, so we advise you on when it is safe to resume using plumbing.
Cleanup in a finished Scarborough basement
Porous materials that touched sewage come out: carpet and underpad, drywall, insulation, and cabinet bases. These are bagged and removed, not dried in place. Concrete floors, studs and joists are washed and disinfected, then dried with air movers and dehumidifiers until readings return to normal. We photograph each stage so there is a record of what was removed and why. Drying typically takes 3 to 5 days. A written scope and price for rebuilding follows the free assessment.
Many Scarborough homes have a second kitchen or bathroom in the lower level, sometimes with a separate tenant. We list each fixture and finish, so the scope remains clear even when two households are affected.
After the cleanup
- Ask a licensed plumber to scope the main line and check the cleanout for roots or collapse.
- Ask about a backwater valve, and check the City of Toronto subsidy rules before work starts.
- Send your insurer the photographs, readings and written scope in one package.
- Keep receipts for emergency costs such as hotel stays or laundering, and ask your insurer what it needs.
Backwater valve help from the City of Toronto
If a backup has convinced you to fit a backwater valve, Toronto's subsidy reduces the cost. The City pays up to 80 percent of the invoiced cost for work completed on or after 12 November 2025, up to 1,600 dollars per valve and for up to two valves. A building permit is required, and the City's inspector must see the valve before it is enclosed. These are the City's program limits, not our prices; our assessment is free and a written scope and price come before any repair work.
Owners of single-family homes up to fourplexes can apply, within two years of the installation. A home plumbing assessment can add up to 500 dollars, and the maximum for the whole property is 6,650 dollars.
Reviews from the team behind Scarborough Water Damage
Scarborough Water Damage is operated by FirstLine Restoration. These reviews were left on Google for FirstLine Restoration, the team that does our work.
“Our house flooded and we ended up calling Firstline. They got there fast, walked us through what had to happen, and worked with our insurance company, which helped a lot. The whole thing was stressful, but their team handled it really well and got our home restored.”
“Our warehouse flooded and Firstline got a crew out quickly. They handled the clean up, kept us updated, and helped get the building back in working order. Solid team and easy to deal with.”
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