24/7 Water Damage Restoration Services in Chicago
For homeowners, renters, landlords & property managers · use case: deciding who to call after water, fire, or mold damage
Quick answer: Water damage restoration Chicago homeowners trust: The CleanUP Guys provide 24/7 water, fire, and mold damage cleanup for homeowners, renters, landlords, and property managers. For 40 years, we've 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 Takeaways: Water Damage Restoration in Chicago
Summary for homeowners, renters, landlords, and property managers deciding what to do right after water, fire, or mold damage.
- 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 Certified (#94208), 4.7 stars across 148 Google reviews.
Reviewed by Sherman R, Owner of The CleanUP Guys
Fast, Honest Water Damage Restoration in Chicago
This page is written for Chicago and North Shore homeowners, renters, landlords, and property managers making a water, fire, or mold damage decision: whether to call a plumber, the City, an insurance adjuster, or a restoration company like ours, right after a loss or while planning ahead of the next storm.
What we typically find on a Chicago call: a brick two-flat with a low basement where the floor drain backs up before anything else, and a bungalow with a supply line in an exterior wall that finally splits after the first hard freeze. Our crew works to IICRC drying standards, and when the source is a city sewer issue we point homeowners to 311.chicago.gov and to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.
When water gets into your floors, walls, or basement, every hour counts. After a storm or a failed sump pump, fast flood cleanup in Chicago is what limits the damage.
For water damage restoration Chicago homeowners have called The CleanUP Guys since 1986. We show up fast, find where it 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.
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. Once the leak 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.
Call 311 as well if the water came from the city side
If the sewer surcharged during a storm, report it to 311. It creates a record and costs nothing.
Call your insurer, but call us first
Starting extraction quickly supports the claim rather than hurting it, and we document everything from the moment we arrive.
Call (773) 885-8528What the first five days look like
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. Air movers and dehumidifiers run day and night.
Read and adjust
Moisture readings taken and logged. Equipment moved to whatever is drying slowest.
Verify
Readings should be approaching target. Anything still wet gets more air or gets opened further.
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
Mold Removal
We find the source, contain the area, and remove mold under HEPA filtration so the air is clean again.
Mold Removal ChicagoSewage Cleanup
Backed up sewage is a health hazard that needs its own specialist crew.
Sewage Cleanup ChicagoFlood Cleanup
Storm and flood recovery is a separate service with its own crew and equipment.
Flood Cleanup ChicagoBasement Cleaning
Wet, damaged, or neglected basements are a job in their own right.
Basement Cleaning ServicesFire Damage
After a fire we clear the soot, smoke, and odor, then rebuild what the fire and the water took.
Fire Damage Restoration ChicagoCommercial Restoration
Offices, retail, and facilities. We limit downtime and get your doors back open fast.
Commercial Restoration ChicagoOur Water Damage Restoration Process
After 40 years and thousands of jobs across Chicago, the process is settled.
Emergency Response and Inspection
We arrive fast, find the source, and take moisture readings to map every wet area.
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
Clay soil holds the water in
Cook County sits on heavy clay that acts like a bowl. Rain saturates the ground and builds hydrostatic pressure against foundation walls until it 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.
Freeze and thaw splits supply lines
Chicago winters freeze pipes in attics, crawl spaces, and exterior walls of older homes. 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.
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.
The three categories of water damage
Clean Water
From a clean source such as a supply line or an overflowing sink. Lower risk, but it still needs fast drying.
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.
What water damage restoration costs in Chicago
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 |
Does insurance cover water damage?
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
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."
"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."
"Responded very quickly to a sewage backup at my apartment, same day evaluation and started cleanup the next day. Very responsive and professional. 10/10 highly recommend!"
Serving Chicago and the suburbs
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?
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 recognized restoration standards and documents moisture readings on every job.
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