Sewage backing up is a health risk. Keep people and pets away, and avoid touching the water. Wash your hands well if you do touch it. Do this because sewage can carry germs.
Do not use toilets, baths or sinks that feed the blocked drain. Using them can push more waste into the home, because the water has nowhere to go. Keep a note of which fixtures are affected. This helps the engineer, since it points to the blocked run.
The cause may be a blocked drain, a collapsed pipe or a blocked sewer. Ask the engineer to say whose pipe is involved, since the water company may need to act. When you send your request, mark it urgent and describe what you see. However, the time an engineer can attend depends on who takes the job.
Charges depend on the cause, the access and the time of day. Cleaning the area may cost extra. Since costs differ, ask about call-out charges and the likely cost before you agree. Ask for the quote in writing.
Small spills may be fine to clean with care, using gloves and disinfectant. Large spills may need a specialist cleaning firm. Ask your insurer for advice, since cover for clean-up differs. However, never clean up while the drain is still blocked.
Blockages cause most cases. Fat, wipes and roots are common culprits. A collapsed pipe can also stop the flow. Since the cause varies, a camera check can show which one you have.
If the blockage is in a shared drain or public sewer, the water company looks after it. If it is in your own pipe, you look after it. A camera check can show where the problem sits. Ask the engineer to explain, because the answer decides who acts.
This page sits under emergency drain services, which covers the wider picture. For local details, see the pages for emergency drain services in Plymstock and emergency drain services in Plympton, since each town has its own page. You can also read Drain Emergency: What to Do While You Wait for Help for a wider guide.