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Bacterial Screenings > Sump Pump Problems

Sump Pump Problems

Basement flooding due to sump pump problems is unfortunately a common occurrence in many parts of Canada.

Basement flooding is now being recognized as a potentially serious problem. There are many negative consequences associated with basement flooding, above and beyond the inconvenient mess and disruption of household routine. This is because although the water may appear clean, it actually contains biological matter, such as bacteria and viruses, which occur naturally in ground water.

Therefore, one of the first things to be done is to determine approximately how long the water has been standing in the area. This is important in determining exactly how to handle the situation. The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, Restoration and Certification (IICRC) has a procedural standard (S500) that classifies water into 3 Categories according to the amount of biological material in the water. The longer water stands, the more biological matter it will contain.

Upon discovering a flood situation due to sump pump problems, you should immediately contact your insurance company who will dispatch an emergency response clean-up crew. The second call to make is to an independent environmental consulting firm such as Assurance Environmental Inspection Services Inc. to ensure that the emergency response team has correctly determined the source and category of water and have formulated the proper clean-up procedures. Consultants at AEIS have in depth knowledge of the S500 and S520, working with hundreds of clients to ensure their home or business is returned to a pre-loss state.

Once work is complete, the response team may conduct verification testing to demonstrate that work is done. Most often they do not, they just simply walk away from the job leaving you unsure if indeed the work was completed as it should have been. Before you sign off on any insurance claim have an independent environmental consultant conduct verification testing. Because at AEIS Inc. we work for you and not the insurance company, no job is complete until we say it is.


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The Council of Engineering & Scientific Specialty Boards
Ontario Ministry of Labour
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