Water damage · Emergency service
Flood damage cleanup in Illinois
Flood cleanup treats outside floodwater as contaminated: it removes water and mud, cuts out wet drywall and insulation above the waterline, sanitizes, and dries the structure. Floodwater carries sewage and chemicals, so porous materials it touched are usually discarded.
Flood damage cleanup in Illinois: local conditions
Partner coverage for water damage in Illinois includes 507 ZIP codes, with local pages for Chicago, Rockford, Aurora, Joliet, Schaumburg, Elgin, Evanston, Naperville. Call with your ZIP to confirm a company serves your address.
Intense rain overwhelms combined sewers in Chicago and older suburbs, backing water and sewage into basements. Backwater valves and overhead sewers are common fixes.
In Chicago: High lake levels and storms have eroded the shoreline and flooded lakefront buildings. In Rockford: The Rock River and Keith Creek flood low-lying areas during heavy spring rain and snowmelt. In Aurora: Heavy rain overwhelms sump pumps and floods finished basements. In Joliet: Heavy rain overwhelms sump pumps and floods basements.
Chicago bungalows, two-flats and older suburban homes nearly all have basements, many of them finished, which raises the cost of any water loss.
Illinois doesn't license general contractors statewide, but roofers are licensed by the state and many cities, including Chicago, license contractors locally. Ask for local licenses and insurance.
What you can expect
- One call connects you with an independent restoration company that serves your ZIP code.
- Fast call-back during business hours
- Serving Illinois
- Photo and moisture documentation for insurance
Flood damage cleanup at a glance
- Category
- Water damage
- Emergency service
- Yes, call for fastest response
- Typical first step
- Make safe
- Area
- Illinois
Other risks in Illinois
Frozen pipes
Polar-vortex cold, like the January 2019 event, freezes pipes in exterior walls, garages and crawlspaces.
Sump pump failure
Power outages during storms stop sump pumps exactly when they're needed. Battery backups help.
Signs you need flood damage cleanup
- Water entered from outside, at doors or through the slab
- A visible waterline on walls
- Mud or debris left on floors
How the work is done
Make safe, then Remove water and debris, then Flood cuts and sanitizing, then Dry and verify. See the full flood damage cleanup process.
What affects the cost
Prices depend on the job, so restoration companies in Illinois quote after an assessment. The main drivers are how much area is affected, how long it stayed wet, and what has to be removed or rebuilt. See the full list of flood damage cleanup cost factors.
Flood damage cleanup questions
Is sewer backup covered by insurance in Illinois?
Usually only with a sewer or drain backup endorsement. Many Chicago-area homeowners add it because basement backups are so common.
Do Illinois contractors need a license?
There's no statewide general contractor license, but Chicago and many suburbs require local licensing, and roofers need a state license.
Is flood damage covered by homeowners insurance?
Usually not. Rising water from outside is typically covered only by a flood policy (NFIP or private). Water from a burst pipe is a different claim under your homeowners policy.
Can drywall that got flood water be dried?
Generally no. Floodwater is contaminated, so the IICRC S500 standard calls for removing porous materials it soaked, including drywall and insulation, above the waterline.
Cities in Illinois
Other services in Illinois
Related pages
More about water and storm damage in Illinois, or see flood damage cleanup nationwide.
Related services
Emergency water extraction
Water extraction is the first step of any water loss: removing standing and absorbed water with powerful pumps and extractors before drying starts.
Learn more
Sewage backup cleanup
Sewage cleanup treats the water as Category 3 (grossly contaminated): crews in protective gear remove it, discard porous materials it touched, clean and disinfect hard surfaces, and dry the structure.
Learn more
Mold remediation
Mold remediation removes mold growth under containment so spores don't spread, cleans or discards affected materials, and corrects the moisture problem that let it grow.
Learn moreWater, mold or fire damage? Get the right crew on it.
One call connects you with an independent restoration company that serves your ZIP code. Fast call-back during business hours.