A pipe burst cleanup in Chicago, IL can be a substantial job – especially for a homeowner. Once the water has had a chance to penetrate absorbent construction materials, you have a real problem.You must decide relatively quickly whether you’ll need to hire a professional water and sewer cleanup company.

Yes or No?

The decision about needing a professional for a pipe burst cleanup is simple: if water has seeped into important construction materials, you need a professional, unless you have extensive experience replacing structural components. This includes items such as

Flooring and subflooring
Large areas of drywall
Wood studs

Once a stud has been impacted, you need a thorough inspection. If flooring has absorbed a tiny amount but hasn’t warped, you’re probably in good shape. If drywall has warped slightly, and you’re comfortable with sanding and painting, you can also probably DIY. However, once it’s gone deeply into the gypsum, you’ll need an inspection to locate hidden damage.

What Can a Professional Do that You Can’t Do?

A broken pipe is a disaster. So is a hidden leak. Anything absorbent will immediately latch onto the water. Leaks behind a wall or appliances are notorious for sprouting large colonies of nasty black mold. This further eats into construction materials and, once established, can spread throughout a home.

Professional companies experienced with a pipe burst cleanup have highly specialized equipment to locate hidden leaks. A hygrometer can detect excess humidity behind walls, and the restoration specialists also have a keen eye for the tell-tale signs of underlying water damage.

Once the leak has been fixed, large air movers are brought in to force humidity out of your home. Condensation is whisked away and areas that may be contaminated with mold, bacteria or toxins from blackwater are sanitized or disinfected.

Additionally, the restoration company can help you determine if your insurance will cover the claim. In most cases, it should, unless you knew about the leak and failed to perform due diligence in a reasonable time. All this needs to be done as quickly as possible to avoid further damage.