Sewage extraction and removal
Safe pump-out and removal of sewage, sludge, and contaminated water from basements, crawl spaces, and main floors.
24/7 Emergency Restoration
Sewage Backup Cleanup in Burnaby, BC
Rapid dispatch to Burnaby, 24/7
Category 3 sewage extraction, disinfection and structural drying for homes and businesses across Burnaby.
IICRC Certified30+ Years of Experience24/7 Emergency
Rapid dispatch to Burnaby, with arrival timing confirmed when you call.
IICRC Certified CrewsCategory 3 water protocol
Rapid Local Dispatch24/7 emergency response
30+ Years of ExperienceFull-service restoration
Insurance CoordinationCertified and insured
Sewage Backup Cleanup in Burnaby
Why a sewer backup needs immediate action
A sewer backup is not ordinary water. It is category 3, the most contaminated class in the IICRC S500 standard, and every hour of delay lets it spread further and cost more.
Category 3 contamination
Sewage is category 3 water, the most contaminated class in the IICRC S500 standard, and it can carry bacteria, viruses, and parasites that cause serious illness.
Mold in 24 to 48 hours
Mold can begin to grow within 24 to 48 hours of water exposure, according to Health Canada, so every hour of delay lets it spread into drywall, subfloor, and framing.
Costs climb fast
Every hour the contamination travels adds materials to the scope: another room of flooring, another wall cavity, another run of cabinetry. Containing it in the first hour keeps the job small.
A health emergency
Contact with sewage, or breathing the air near it, can make people sick. Keep everyone, especially children and pets, out of the affected area.
It spreads by the hour
What starts as a contained floor-drain backup can turn into a gutted room as moisture and contamination move deeper into the structure.
Do not wait and see
A backup is category 3 the moment it happens, no matter the colour or smell, so it is never safe to wait. Call first and read the rest later.
Sewage cleanup services we provide in Burnaby
Our crews handle every stage of a category 3 loss in Burnaby under one roof, so nothing gets handed off half-finished.
Toilet backup cleanup
Full toilet backup cleanup, including the floor, walls, and cabinetry the overflow reached.
Sewer backup in basement cleanup
The most common Burnaby call: contamination cleared from finished and unfinished basements alike.
Drain backup cleanup in Burnaby
Floor-drain and fixture backups cleaned, disinfected, and dried to a sanitary standard.
Disinfection and antimicrobial treatment
Hospital-grade disinfection of every surface the sewage contacted.
Structural drying
Commercial dehumidifiers and air movers to bring the structure back to a safe moisture level.
Mold prevention and removal
Treatment and monitoring so a water loss does not become a mold job.
Reconstruction and repairs
Rebuild of drywall, flooring, and finishes we had to remove, so your home is whole again.
Common causes of sewage backups in Burnaby homes
Older parts of Burnaby still run combined sewers that carry rainwater and wastewater in one pipe, so extreme storms overload the system and surcharge into basements. These are the triggers we see most in Burnaby homes.
Still Creek flooding and fall storms
- The Still Creek watershed floods regularly, with the low-lying Gilmore Avenue area affected most years
- Burnaby's south slope drops to nearly 800 hectares of low-lying Fraser River floodplain
- During the October 2024 atmospheric river, City crews sandbagged sanitary pump stations along Still Creek
Aging combined sewers
- Older parts of Burnaby are still served by combined sewers that carry rainwater and wastewater in one pipe
- These overload in extreme storms and surcharge into basements
- The City has separated only about half of its original 85 kilometres of combined pipe, so pre-1980 areas remain the most backup-prone
Aging clay and cast-iron service pipes
- Roughly a third of Burnaby's homes were built before 1980
- They can have aging clay or cast-iron service pipes prone to root intrusion and collapse
- That root intrusion and collapse is a leading backup cause
High groundwater and failed sump pumps
- The Byrne Creek ravine drives high groundwater and fast basement flooding when sump pumps fail in fall storms
- In the October 2024 atmospheric river the City responded to flooded basements and sewer blockages citywide
- It surfaces at the lowest opening first: the sump pit, the floor drain or the laundry standpipe
Our 7 Step Cleanup Process
Our category 3 water damage cleanup process
We follow the IICRC S500 protocol for category 3 water, step by step, so the space is not just dried but decontaminated.
Emergency response and safety assessment
We arrive in protective gear, shut off affected utilities if needed, identify the source and contamination boundary, and make the area safe before any work starts.
Containment
We seal off the affected area with barriers and negative air so airborne contaminants cannot spread to clean parts of the home. Category 3 losses are contained before drying begins, never after.
Sewage and water extraction
We pump out standing sewage, sludge, and contaminated water with truck-mounted and portable equipment.
Removal of porous contaminated materials
Porous materials that soaked up sewage, such as drywall, carpet, underlay, and insulation, cannot be fully disinfected, so we cut them out and bag them for proper disposal.
Cleaning and disinfection
Every salvageable surface is cleaned and treated with professional-grade disinfectant and antimicrobial, including framing, subfloor, and hard contents.
Structural drying
We set air movers and dehumidifiers and monitor moisture daily until the structure reaches a documented dry standard.
Verification and clearance
We confirm the space is dry and sanitary with moisture meters and a final inspection, document the readings, and only then hand it back or move to reconstruction.
First 60 Minutes
What happens in the first 60 minutes
Time matters most in the first hour. Here is what happens from the moment you call until our crew is on-site in Burnaby.
0 to 5 min
You reach a real person
You reach a real person, any hour. We take your address, confirm it is safe to stay in the home, and dispatch the nearest available crew right away.
Dispatch
Crew en route
While the crew is en route, we walk you through what to do now: keep everyone clear of the sewage, do not run water or flush, and shut off power to the area only if you can do it safely and dry. Our dispatcher confirms the nearest available crew and gives you an honest arrival window based on traffic and current calls.
On arrival
Contain and stop the spread
The crew assesses the source, sets up containment, and stops the spread before it reaches more of your home. From there we move straight into extraction and the full category 3 process.
We are ready 24/7
Your call is answered 24/7 so you can get clear guidance and the next steps started right away.
Burnaby and Surrounding Areas
Local sewage cleanup across Burnaby
On Command dispatches to Burnaby from our Surrey headquarters at Unit 1, 5508 Production Blvd, about 30 to 45 minutes away in normal traffic. We respond across Burnaby, including Metrotown, Brentwood, Edmonds, Lougheed, Burnaby Heights, Deer Lake, Capitol Hill and Big Bend, plus the surrounding Lower Mainland.
- Rapid dispatch to Burnaby
- 24/7 emergency response
- Fully equipped and certified team
15 communities covered
Dispatch baseSurrey, 5508 Production Blvd
What Our Clients Say
What Burnaby homeowners say
Customers trust On Command during stressful situations because our team communicates clearly, works safely, and helps guide the next steps.
Certified. Trusted. Proven.
IICRC Certified
Certified & Insured
Canadian Owned
★★★★★
We presented Manny and his team with a real challenge in dealing with asbestos insulation contamination in a building more than 70 years old. Not only was the contaminated vermiculite mixed with old fiberglass...
★★★★★
Had a great experience with Manny and his professional crew. Very quick response, they came to site the next day fully equipped and ready. They got the job done right, safe, and on time. Totally recommend.
★★★★★
We had an excellent experience with On Command Services. Manny was incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and helpful throughout the entire process. He took the time to explain everything clearly and eased our concerns...
★★★★★
This company has attended and completed several jobs in my building, my unit included. I was very impressed by their efficiency, communication, thoroughness, and general manner. Not only are they great at what they do,...
★★★★★
Manny and his team did a great job helping me do some repairs around my property (replacing rotted wood in deck, waterproofing deck, and some minor interior fixes with doors that wouldn't close properly). They were...
★★★★★
Manny and his team were a pleasure to deal with. They were professional, thorough, detail oriented and timely. Highly recommend to consumers and insurance providers alike!
★★★★★
The best place to deal with... they are so professional and loved their customer service....manny and his team did great. gonna recommend to my friends and family. Thank you !!
★★★★★
We had a mould issue in our bathroom, Manny and his crew came out for an assement and removal mannys crew took care of the job fast and clean. Highly recommend ONCOMMAND, very professional and friendly great company!
Why Choose Us
Why Burnaby homeowners call On Command
When sewage strikes, you need more than just cleanup. You need a certified local team you can count on.
IICRC-certified crews
Trained in the category 3 water and sewage protocol, not a general handyman crew.
30+ years of experience
Handling Burnaby basements, crawl spaces, and older sewer laterals.
Lower Mainland coverage
Surrey-based crews and equipment serve the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.
24/7 emergency line
Answered by a person, every day of the year.
Full-service, one crew
From extraction through disinfection, drying, and reconstruction.
Certified and insured
With insurance coordination on every job.
Testing First in Older Homes
Renovating an older Burnaby home after a backup?
If your home was built before 1990, the drywall or flooring we need to remove after a category 3 backup may contain asbestos, which most pre-1990 BC homes still do. When that is a possibility, we arrange third-party hazardous materials testing before disturbing those materials, so demolition is done safely and to code.
Questions? We've Got Answers
Sewage backup cleanup in Burnaby: common questions
Get quick answers to common questions about sewage backups, our response time, and our cleanup process.
Report a backup to Burnaby's 24/7 dispatch at 604-294-7200 so crews can check whether the blockage is in a city main. The City runs about 690 kilometres of sanitary and combined sewers and offers eligible homeowners up to $2,500 to upgrade combined connections. Responsibility for damage and insurance coverage depends on the blockage location, policy wording and endorsements, so notify the City and your insurer promptly.
Further reading
Before you call your insurer
Sewer backup is commonly a separate endorsement rather than part of a standard BC policy, which is the gap most people find mid-claim.
Sewage backing up in your Burnaby home? Call now.
Do not wait, and do not clean it yourself. Call On Command for 24/7 emergency sewage backup cleanup in Burnaby and we will confirm the nearest available crew and arrival window when you call.
24/7 Emergency Line604 445 2726
Rapid dispatch to Burnaby
- Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Local team, fast response, real results
- We handle everything, you focus on healing
Request Emergency Callback
Tell us where you are and we will call you back within minutes, 24/7.