Water Damage Restorationin Chicago, IL
Walking into a flooded room is a sinking feeling. We get it. For 40 years, The CleanUP Guys have pulled Chicago homes back from water, fire, and mold damage. Call us and a real person answers, day or night.
(773) 885-8528 Tap to call now
Key facts, if you are in a hurry
- Who to call: a restoration company, not a plumber, unless water is still running. We answer 24/7 on (773) 885-8528.
- How fast it matters: mold can start on wet drywall and framing within 24 to 48 hours.
- Typical cost in Chicago: $1,300 to $6,300. Clean water runs $3 to $4 per square foot, sewage $7 to $15.
- How long drying takes: about 72 hours for one room, three to five days for a normal loss, longer for hardwood and concrete.
- Insurance: sudden and accidental damage is usually covered. Gradual leaks and outside flooding usually are not.
- If the water came from the city side: report it to Chicago 311 as well. It is free and it creates a record.
- Who we are: family owned in Chicago since 1986, based at 6650 N Damen Ave, IICRC trained, 4.7 stars across 143 Google reviews.
Last reviewed and updated 24 July 2026 by Sherman R, owner.
Fast, Honest Water Damage Restoration in Chicago
When water gets into your floors, walls, or basement, every hour counts. It soaks into drywall, warps wood, and mold can start within a day or two. The faster the water comes out, the less the whole thing costs you.
For water damage restoration Chicago homeowners have called The CleanUP Guys since 1986. We show up fast, find where the water went, pull it out, dry everything properly, and put your home back together. We deal with your insurance company directly, so you are not stuck on the phone during an already bad week.
Our shop is at 6650 N Damen Ave, which puts our crews close to the North Side and the North Shore suburbs. When you call, you reach us, not a national call centre routing your emergency to whoever is free.
Who do you call for water damage in Chicago?
Call a plumber first only if water is still coming in
A plumber stops the source. A burst supply line, a failed shut off valve, a cracked drain. Once the water stops, a plumber is done and the wet building is still wet.
Call a restoration crew for everything after that
Extraction, structural drying, sanitizing, moisture readings, and the paperwork your adjuster needs. This is the part that decides whether you get mold in three weeks.
Call 311 as well if the water came from the city side
If the sewer surcharged during a storm or water is coming up through the floor drain, report it to 311. It creates a record the city uses, and it costs you nothing.
Call your insurer, but call us first
Most policies expect you to limit further damage. Starting extraction quickly supports the claim rather than hurting it, and we document everything from the moment we arrive.
Call (773) 885-8528Restoration company, plumber, or waterproofing contractor?
People call the wrong one and lose two days. Here is who does what.
| Who | What they fix | When you need them |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | The pipe, valve, drain, or fixture that failed | Water is still running and you cannot stop it at the main |
| Restoration company | The wet building. Extraction, drying, sanitizing, rebuild | Water has already got into floors, walls, or the basement |
| Waterproofing contractor | The foundation, drain tile, sump system, exterior grading | The same wall leaks every spring and you want it to stop |
| City of Chicago 311 | Public side issues, street flooding, water main breaks | The water came from the street or the sewer surcharged |
What to do in the first hour
Six things worth doing while you wait for the crew. None of them take long, and each one saves money later.
Stay out of the water
If water has reached outlets, the furnace, or appliances, do not step in. Shut power to that area from a dry spot, or call ComEd or an electrician.
Stop the water
Shut the main valve if a pipe or appliance is leaking. If it is a sewer backup, stop using sinks, showers, and toilets so nothing more drains into the line.
Work out the source
Clear water through the walls or cove joint is a foundation issue. Murky water rising through a floor drain is a sewer backup. The source changes the cleanup.
Report it to 311
Chicago residents report water in a basement by phone, the CHI311 app, or 311.chicago.gov. Have the address, clean or dirty water, the source, and the depth in inches ready.
Photograph everything
Take photos and video of every wet room and damaged item before anything goes to the alley. Adjusters rely on this and it is impossible to recreate later.
Call the crew
Mold can start in 24 to 48 hours on wet drywall and framing. Drying has to begin before that window closes, which is why we answer at 2am.
What the first five days look like
Nobody explains this, so people assume the worst. This is the normal shape of a Chicago water job.
Get it out
Inspection, moisture mapping, extraction, and equipment set. We photograph everything before we move it.
Open it up
Wet drywall, insulation, and carpet padding come out. Baseboards off. Air movers and dehumidifiers run day and night.
Read and adjust
Moisture readings taken and logged. Equipment moved to whatever is drying slowest. Your adjuster gets the numbers.
Verify
Readings should be approaching target. Anything still wet gets more air or gets opened further rather than closed up.
Dry and rebuild
Once readings hold at target, equipment comes out and rebuild starts. Drywall, paint, flooring, trim.
One Team for Every Kind of Damage
Water is what we are known for, but our crew handles the full range of property damage across Chicago and the suburbs.
Mold Removal
We find the source, contain the area, and remove mold under HEPA filtration so the air is clean again.
Learn moreSewage Cleanup
Backed up sewage is a health hazard. We remove it, disinfect, and make the space safe to live in.
Learn moreFlood Cleanup
After a storm we pump out the water, clear the debris, and dry the structure ready for repairs.
Learn moreBasement Cleaning
We turn wet, damaged, or neglected Chicago basements back into clean, dry, usable space.
Learn moreFire Damage
After a fire we clear the soot, smoke, and odor, then rebuild what the fire and the water took.
Learn moreCommercial Restoration
Offices, retail, and facilities. We limit downtime and get your doors back open fast.
Learn moreOur Water Damage Restoration Process
After 40 years and thousands of jobs across Chicago, the process is settled. Here is what happens from the moment you call to the day the house is normal again.
Emergency Response and Inspection
We arrive fast, find the source, and take moisture readings to map every wet area, including the hidden ones behind walls.
Water Extraction
Truck mounted pumps and extractors pull standing water out of floors, carpet, and the basement slab.
Structural Drying
Air movers and dehumidifiers dry walls, floors, and framing down to a documented safe moisture level.
Cleaning and Sanitizing
We clean, disinfect, and treat the affected areas so mold and odor never get started.
Insurance Documentation
We photograph, log daily moisture readings, and send your insurer everything the claim needs.
Restoration and Walkthrough
We rebuild what came out and walk the property with you before we call the job finished.
Why Chicago homes flood more than most
Chicago has a specific set of conditions that turn small problems into wet basements. Knowing which one you are dealing with changes the repair.
Clay soil holds the water in
Cook County sits on heavy clay that acts like a bowl. Rain does not drain away, it saturates the ground and builds hydrostatic pressure against foundation walls until water finds the cove joint or a crack.
The sewer is combined, so hard rain backs up
Storm water and waste water share the same line. When a storm drops more than the sewer can carry, the line surcharges and pushes water back through floor drains into finished basements.
Freeze and thaw splits supply lines
Chicago winters freeze pipes in attics, crawl spaces, and exterior walls of older homes. The split happens in the freeze, but the flooding starts on the thaw, often while nobody is home.
Finished basements turn a leak into a loss
Two flats, three flats, greystones, and garden apartments across the North Side all put living space below grade. Drywall, carpet, and framing down there soak up everything that gets in.
Old plumbing in old housing stock
Much of the North Side was built long before the fittings and water heaters in it. Failures come from age rather than accident, which also changes how insurance treats the claim.
It is not a rare problem
Residents in 71 of Chicago's 77 community areas have reported flooding. If your basement took water this year, you are not the unlucky exception on your block.
What can be saved and what has to go
| Material | Clean water, caught fast | Sewage or storm water |
|---|---|---|
| Tile, concrete, sealed hard floors | Saved | Saved after disinfection |
| Solid wood furniture | Usually saved | Often saved after cleaning |
| Hardwood flooring | Often saved with specialty drying | Usually removed |
| Drywall | Saved if dried in time | Cut out 18 to 48 inches up |
| Carpet | Often saved, padding replaced | Removed |
| Insulation | Usually removed | Removed |
| Particle board and MDF furniture | Usually lost | Removed |
| Mattresses and upholstery | Depends on how long it sat | Removed |
| Paper, photos, documents | Freeze and dry quickly, tell us early | Rarely recoverable |
Burst pipe water damage cleanup in Chicago
Why the flooding starts on the thaw
Water expands as it freezes and splits the pipe, but nothing pours out while it is still frozen. The water arrives when it thaws, often days later, and often while the house is empty.
Where Chicago pipes actually burst
Supply lines in attics, crawl spaces, and exterior walls of older homes. Also under sinks on an outside wall, and in unheated basements and garages where nothing keeps the line above freezing.
Shut the main valve, then call
Stopping the water is step one and it belongs to you or a plumber. Getting it out of the building is step two and belongs to us. Both need to happen the same day.
What we take out
If floodwater touched the walls, soaked drywall usually has to come out 18 to 48 inches up from the floor, along with insulation and baseboards. Cutting it out is what stops the mold, drying a wet wall in place does not.
The three categories of water damage
Not all water is the same. The category decides how we clean it, what can be saved, and how your insurance treats the claim.
Clean Water
From a clean source such as a supply line or an overflowing sink. Lower risk, but it still needs fast drying before it spreads or turns gray.
Gray Water
Slightly contaminated water from appliances such as washers or dishwashers. It carries bacteria and needs careful handling.
Black Water
Heavily contaminated water from sewage or outside flooding. This is a health hazard and needs full protective removal.
How long does water damage take to dry?
| What Is Wet | Typical Drying Time |
|---|---|
| Tile and sealed concrete surface | 1 – 2 days |
| Carpet and padding | 2 – 4 days |
| Hardwood flooring | 3 – 5 days |
| Drywall and insulation | 4 – 7 days |
| Concrete foundation and slab | 2 – 3 weeks |
The four classes of water damage
Category is how dirty the water is. Class is how much of the building it soaked. Both go on the estimate, and together they set the equipment and the timeline.
Least absorption
A small part of one room, mostly hard surfaces. Little material has taken water in. Fastest dry.
Whole room
Carpet, padding, and cushioned material soaked, with water wicking up walls under two feet.
From above
Water came from the ceiling down. Walls, insulation, and subfloor are wet from the top. Heavy equipment load.
Deep saturation
Hardwood, plaster, concrete, and masonry hold water tightly. Needs specialty drying and the longest timeline.
40 Years. Real People. One Phone Call.
When your home floods you do not want a call centre three states away. You want a local crew that picks up and shows up. That has been us since day one.
Family Owned and Local
Three generations of Chicago families have used us. The owner still answers the phone.
Fast Emergency Response
We answer 24/7 and are usually on site within the hour, because every minute costs money.
We Handle Your Insurance
We document the damage and deal with your adjuster directly, so you do not have to.
Certified and BBB A+ Rated
Trained technicians, a 4.7 star average, and 143 real Chicago reviews behind us.
What water damage restoration costs in Chicago
Most companies dodge this question. Here are real ranges so you know what to expect.
By water category, per square foot
| Water Category | Where It Comes From | Per Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1, clean | Burst supply line, fresh appliance leak | $3 – $4 |
| Category 2, gray | Washer or dishwasher overflow | $4 – $7 |
| Category 3, black | Sewage backup, storm flooding | $7 – $15 |
By how deep the water got
| Standing Water in the Basement | Typical Total |
|---|---|
| 1 to 4 inches | around $8,000 |
| 9 to 12 inches | around $19,000 |
| 18 inches | around $26,000 |
Does insurance cover water damage?
In most cases yes, if the damage was sudden and accidental. Here is the quick breakdown.
Usually covered
- Burst or frozen pipes
- Overflowing washer or dishwasher
- Sudden water heater failure
- Water used to put out a fire
- Accidental toilet overflow
Usually not covered
- Gradual leaks left unrepaired
- Outside flooding, which needs flood insurance
- Wear, tear, and neglect
- Deferred maintenance
Not sure what your policy covers? We document everything properly and talk to your adjuster directly, which gives the claim its best shot.
What your insurer will ask you for
Claims get cut back over missing paperwork far more often than over the damage itself. This is the list.
- Photos and video before anything moves. Every wet room, every damaged item, and the water line on the wall. Take more than feels necessary.
- The date and time you found it, and what caused it. Sudden and accidental gets paid. Gradual and neglected does not, so the cause matters as much as the damage.
- Proof you acted quickly. Policies expect you to limit further damage. A crew on site the same day supports the claim, it does not hurt it.
- Moisture readings taken over the job. This is what justifies how long equipment ran. We log them daily and send them across.
- Category and class of the loss. Recorded on day one. Without it, an adjuster is guessing whether the equipment was warranted.
- Receipts for anything you bought or paid for yourself. Fans, a hotel night, a plumber call out. Keep all of it.
- An itemised scope from the restoration company. Line by line, not a single number at the bottom of a page.
Our work, not stock photos
Every photo here is a real job our crew handled across Chicago.
Water Extraction
Ceiling RepairBasement Drying
Cleanup and Debris
Floor CleaningOn Site Cleanup"In forty years the one thing that has not changed is how fast it turns. A pipe that split on Friday is a mold job by Monday. People wait because they are hoping it dries on its own, and it never does. Call somebody, even if it is not us."
Sherman R, owner, The CleanUP Guys, Chicago
Trusted when it mattered most
"Sherm and his crew were the 3rd call I made, and not only did they answer, they came out that day. Less than 24 hrs after all heck broke loose. Our basement is clean, dry, and mold free. They exceeded the scope of their job and helped us in our time of need."
"The CleanUP Guys showed up the next day and did a fantastic job with the basement cleaning and mold remediation. The basement just smells better. Friendly, family, down to earth workers that gave us a great price and excellent service."
"Responded very quickly to a sewage backup at my apartment, same day evaluation and started cleanup the next day. They cleaned and ripped out all the floors in less than 8 hours. Very responsive and professional. 10/10 highly recommend!"
Serving Chicago and the suburbs
From the city to the north suburbs, we are never far when you need us.
Water damage terms your estimate will use
These words show up on invoices and insurance paperwork. Here is what each one actually means.
- Water damage restoration
- The full process of removing water, drying the structure to a measured standard, sanitizing, and repairing so the property is safe and usable again.
- Mitigation
- The emergency half. Stopping the damage getting worse through extraction, drying, and removing what cannot be saved. It happens before any rebuilding.
- Category
- How contaminated the water is. Category 1 is clean, Category 2 is gray, Category 3 is black water from sewage or storm flooding.
- Class
- How much of the building absorbed the water, from Class 1 for a small hard surface area up to Class 4 for deep saturation in hardwood, plaster, or concrete.
- Extraction
- Physically pumping and vacuuming standing water out. It is the first hour of the job, not the whole job.
- Structural drying
- Drying the framing, subfloor, and wall cavities with air movers and dehumidifiers until moisture readings hit target, rather than until the surface feels dry.
- Moisture content
- The reading a meter gives for how much water is still inside a material. Framing normally needs to come back under roughly 15 percent and drywall under 12 percent.
- Cove joint
- The seam where a basement floor meets the wall. In Chicago clay soil this is the most common place groundwater pushes through under pressure.
- Hydrostatic pressure
- The force saturated soil puts on foundation walls. It is why a basement can take water without any pipe failing at all.
- Combined sewer
- A single line carrying both storm water and waste water, which is what Chicago runs. Heavy rain can surcharge it and push water back through floor drains.
- Backwater valve
- A one way valve on the sewer line that closes when flow reverses, so a surcharged main cannot come up into the basement.
- Air mover
- A high velocity fan aimed along surfaces to lift moisture out of materials into the air, where the dehumidifier can pull it out.
- Antimicrobial treatment
- Applied to cleaned surfaces after removal to stop bacteria and mold taking hold in the days before the rebuild.
- Scope of work
- The itemised list of what is being done and what it costs. If yours is one number at the bottom of a page, ask for it line by line.
Water damage questions Chicago asks
Who do you call for water damage in Chicago?
What should I do first when my basement floods in Chicago?
How much does water damage restoration cost in Chicago?
How long does water damage take to dry?
How fast does mold grow after water damage?
Why do Chicago basements flood so often?
Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?
What is the difference between water damage restoration and remediation?
Why do pipes burst in Chicago winters?
A pipe burst and the plumber fixed it. Do I still need anyone?
Should I use a wet vac or call someone?
Do I need a plumber or a restoration company?
What can be saved after a flood?
How long will your equipment be running in my house?
Are your technicians certified?
How fast can you get here?
Sherman has led The CleanUP Guys since 1986 and has personally worked water, sewage, mold, and fire jobs across Chicago for 40 years. Our crew is trained to recognised restoration standards and documents moisture readings on every job. This page is reviewed and kept current by our team so what you read here matches what we actually do on site.
When you do not need to call us
A small spill on a hard floor
Clean water on tile or sealed concrete, mopped and dried the same day, with nothing soaking into drywall or subfloor. A fan and an open window handle it.
A slow drip you have already fixed
If the cabinet under the sink is damp but the wall and floor behind it read dry, you need a plumber and a towel, not a restoration crew.
Condensation on windows in winter
Common in older Chicago homes. That is a ventilation and humidity problem. A dehumidifier and better airflow fix it. If it has been running down the wall for months and there is staining, that is different, call us.
A basement that leaks in the same spot every spring
You need a waterproofing contractor for the foundation, not us for the cleanup, unless there is standing water right now. We will say so on the phone rather than send a truck.
Why we put this on the page. Forty years of this work has taught us that a company willing to tell you when you do not need them is the one worth calling when you do.
Where our crews actually work
Our shop sits on N Damen Ave in West Ridge, which puts most of the North Side within a short drive at any hour. We know these buildings because we have been inside them for forty years.
In Rogers Park and West Ridge it is mostly brick two flats and three flats with low basements, where a January freeze splits a line in an exterior wall. In Edgewater and Andersonville the garden units take the worst of a storm, because the floor drain is the lowest point on the block. Albany Park and Lincoln Square sit near the river branch, where the ground stays saturated long after the rain stops.
Further south, Ravenswood, North Center, and Roscoe Village have greystones and worker cottages with finished basements, which turns four inches of water into a full loss instead of a mop up. Lincoln Park, Bucktown, Uptown, Portage Park, and Belmont Cragin round out where we run most weeks, and we cover Skokie, Evanston, Wilmette, Park Ridge, and Lincolnwood across the border.
Not sure whether we come out your way? Call and ask. The full service area list is here.
Contact The CleanUP Guys
Based in Chicago, serving the city and the surrounding suburbs. Reach out any time, we are open 24/7.
Water damage will not wait. Neither do we.
A flooded basement at noon or a burst pipe at 2am, our Chicago crew is standing by 24/7. Free inspection, honest estimate, and 40 years behind it.
(773) 885-8528