Burst and frozen pipes
Cold snaps are hard on pipes in outside walls, crawlspaces, and unheated rooms. A split pipe can soak a lot of house before anyone notices.
Wilmington, DE & nearby
Water damage restoration in Wilmington, DE
A burst pipe, a leaking water heater, a basement that took on water in last night’s storm. We find where the water went, take out what can’t be saved, and dry the rest until the readings say dry. You get photos and moisture readings you can hand to your insurance company.
Water coming in right now?
Do these things first
- Stay clear of water and electricity together. If water is near outlets, cords, appliances, or your electrical panel, stay out of it. Don’t go to the breaker box if you’d have to stand in water to get there. If you can’t shut off power safely, call your electric company. If anyone is in danger, call 911.
- Stop the water if you can. Close the shut-off valve at the fixture, or the main water shut-off. It’s usually where the water line comes into the house, often in the basement or near the water heater.
- Call us, day or night: (302) 600-0601. The EPA recommends drying water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to help prevent mold, so the sooner drying starts, the better.
- Take photos of the damage before you move things, if it’s safe. Your insurer will want to see it.
- Move what you can. Get electronics, papers, rugs, and small furniture out of the wet area. Put foil or blocks under legs of furniture you can’t move.
- Treat sewage and floodwater as contaminated. If the water came from a sewer backup or from flooding outside, avoid touching it, keep kids and pets away, and tell us on the call.
What we do
A water damage job, step by step
Water doesn’t stay where it lands. It runs under flooring, behind baseboards, and into wall cavities. Here’s how we chase it down and dry it out.
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Find where the water went
Moisture readings map the wet area, including the parts you can’t see: under the floor, behind the baseboard, up the wall.
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Document it
Before photos and starting readings go into your job record on day one.
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Put the plan in writing
What has to come out, what can dry in place, and how we’ll know it’s dry. You sign it and keep a copy.
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Remove what can’t be saved
Soaked carpet pad, swollen drywall, and wet insulation come out. Materials that can dry in place stay.
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Dry until the readings say dry
Drying equipment goes in and stays until the moisture readings show dry, not until a set number of days is up.
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Hand over the record and check in
After photos, readings from first day to last, and the signed plan. We call within 72 hours of equipment pickup to follow up.
If the source is a plumbing or roofing repair we don’t do, we’ll find it, document it, and tell you which trade to call. Drying a wall while the leak keeps going doesn’t work.
Common calls
Common causes of water damage around Wilmington
Wet basements
Heavy rain, a sump pump that failed or lost power, or water seeping through foundation walls.
Appliance leaks
Water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, and fridge ice-maker lines. Often slow, sometimes sudden.
Roof and ceiling leaks
Storm damage, worn flashing, and ice dams that push water in under the shingles.
Toilet and tub overflows
Including water that went through the floor and into the ceiling below.
Slow hidden leaks
A drip inside a wall for months usually shows up as a stain, a smell, or a soft floor, and often means mold. See mold remediation.
Insurance
Filing an insurance claim?
Coverage is between you and your insurer, and we can’t promise what a claim will pay. What we can do is give you documentation that backs up what happened and what was done:
- Before-and-after photos of the damage and the work
- Moisture readings from the first day to the last
- A signed written plan of the scope
Policies often treat sudden, accidental water damage, like a burst pipe, differently from a slow leak. Water from outside flooding is usually covered only by separate flood insurance (see FloodSmart.gov). Read your policy or call your agent early.
Water damage FAQ
Common questions about water damage
How fast can you get here?
Emergency water calls are answered 24/7. How quickly we can be on site depends on where you are and what else is going on that night. We’ll give you an honest time on the phone instead of a promise we can’t keep.
Can I dry it out myself with fans?
For a small spill of clean water that you caught right away, often yes. Soak up what you can and run fans and a dehumidifier. Call a pro if water got under flooring or into walls, sat for more than a day, or came from a sewer or outside flooding. Hidden moisture is what turns into mold.
Will you have to cut out drywall?
Not always. The readings tell us what’s wet and how wet. Some materials dry in place. Others, like soaked insulation or drywall that’s swollen or already moldy, need to come out. It’ll be in the written plan before anything gets cut.
How long does drying take?
Often a few days, but it depends on the materials and how wet they got. We check the readings and leave the equipment until they show dry.
Do you handle mold too?
Yes. Mold remediation is our main service. See mold remediation in Wilmington.
Do you come to my town?
We’re based near I-95 in Wilmington and work across New Castle County and nearby Pennsylvania. See the areas we serve.
More from the U.S. EPA on mold and moisture: epa.gov/mold.
Related
Water where it shouldn’t be?
Call the 24/7 line for active leaks and standing water. For everything else, send a request online and text us a photo.