Biohazard cleanup in Houston often follows flooding, when sewer lines back up and dirty water spreads through homes. Heat and humidity also make every situation worse, speeding up bacteria growth and odor. These jobs call for trained providers with the right protective equipment.
Sifixit is a free referral service. Call the number on this page and you will be connected with an independent biohazard cleanup provider that serves the Houston area, where one is available for your ZIP code. Calling costs nothing and you are never obliged to hire anyone.
Why biohazard cleanup is needed in Houston
Sewage backups after heavy rain
During heavy rain and flooding, sewer lines can be overwhelmed and push sewage back up through toilets, showers and floor drains.
Contaminated flood water
Outside flood water, like the water from Hurricane Harvey in 2017, carries sewage and chemicals. Anything it soaked is treated as contaminated.
Heat and humidity
Houston’s heat speeds up decay and bacteria growth. After an unattended death or a sewage spill, odor and contamination spread faster than in cooler places.
Rodents and pests
Floods and heavy rain can drive rats and other pests into homes and attics, leaving droppings and nesting material behind.
Areas across Houston
Sifixit connects callers across the city of Houston, including neighborhoods such as the Heights, Montrose, Meyerland, Memorial, Kingwood and Clear Lake, and in nearby cities such as Pasadena, Pearland, Sugar Land, Katy, Cypress, Spring and The Woodlands.
Sifixit does not have an office or staff in Houston. Providers you speak to are independent local businesses, and availability depends on your ZIP code and the job.
Permits and local rules
Cleanup itself does not usually need a permit, but the repairs that follow often do. Inside the city of Houston, larger drywall, electrical and plumbing repairs can require permits from the City of Houston Permitting Center. Homes in other cities, such as Pasadena, Pearland or Sugar Land, follow the rules of that city or county.
Texas regulates mold work through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. If smoke or firefighting water leads to mold, larger remediation jobs must be done by a licensed company.
Seasonal risks in Houston
If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 911. After a death or a crime, the police and medical examiner must finish their work before cleanup begins.
- Hurricane season: flooding brings sewage backups and contaminated water.
- Summer: heat speeds up decay and odor.
- After storms: rodents often move indoors.
- All year: hoarding and trauma cleanup can be needed at any time.
Be prepared
- Know where your home’s sewer cleanout is
- Ask a plumber about a backwater valve if sewage has backed up before
- Check whether your insurance includes sewer backup coverage
- Report sewer overflows in the street to Houston 311
- Keep drains clear of grease, which causes backups
Learn more before you call
Our main biohazard cleanup guide explains the warning signs, what affects the cost, what you can safely handle yourself and the questions to ask before you hire. It applies in Houston just as it does everywhere else.
Houston questions
Does insurance cover sewage backup in Houston?
Often only if you have a sewer backup endorsement on your homeowners policy. Flooding from outside needs separate flood insurance. Check your policy before you need it.
Who do I call about sewage in the street?
Report sewer overflows in public areas to Houston 311. Backups inside your home are usually the homeowner’s responsibility to clean up.
Is there help with crime scene cleanup costs in Texas?
The Texas Attorney General’s Crime Victims’ Compensation program may help eligible victims with some costs, including crime scene cleanup. Check with the program directly.
Does Sifixit have an office in Houston?
No. Sifixit is a referral service. Providers you speak to are independent local businesses that serve the Houston area.
Sifixit is a free referral service and does not provide home services. Calls may be answered by a partner call center or connected directly to independent local providers, who are solely responsible for their work, pricing, licensing and insurance.