Disaster Recovery & Restoration,
Services in Villa Park, IL

Water, fire and mold restoration in Villa Park, IL

ServiceMaster Restoration Services provides 24/7 water damage restoration, fire and smoke cleanup, mold remediation, biohazard cleanup and cleaning for Villa Park homes and businesses. The local fact that shapes most jobs here: the median Villa Park home was built in 1958, so repairs often involve aging sewer service lines and pre-1978 paint.

How old are the homes in Villa Park?

Of the 8,847 housing units the Census Bureau counts in Villa Park, 57.2% were built before 1960 and 86.4% before 1980, according to ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates. The 1950s alone account for 31.1% of the village's homes, and roughly one in five dates to 1939 or earlier. Only about 5% were built in 2000 or later.

That age profile changes how a restoration job is planned. Before anyone cuts out a wet wall, sands a smoke-stained ceiling or pulls up old flooring, two federal rules of thumb apply.

Lead-based paint and the EPA RRP rule

EPA estimates that about three-quarters of U.S. homes built before 1978 still contain some lead-based paint. Its Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule requires anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in a pre-1978 home to be certified, with workers trained in lead-safe practices. Removing water-damaged drywall or trim is exactly the kind of work that disturbs paint.

Asbestos in older building materials

EPA lists vinyl floor tiles and their adhesives, textured wall paint, roofing and siding shingles, and pipe insulation among the places asbestos may be found. Its guidance for homeowners is plain: you can't tell by looking, so leave suspect material alone and have a trained, accredited professional take samples before it is disturbed. EPA also names water damage as a sign that such material may be deteriorating.

What sits under a mid-century basement floor

Villa Park's own flood-prevention policy describes the usual layout: fixtures drain down through one or more stacks into a sewer beneath the basement slab, which runs to the municipal main under the street. When that main fills during heavy rain, water can back up and come out of the lowest openings in the house, such as floor drains, basement toilets, showers and utility sinks.

Why do Villa Park basements take on water?

The village sits in two watersheds. A 2015 comprehensive flood study prepared for Villa Park by Christopher B. Burke Engineering found that about 2,130 acres drain to Salt Creek and about 870 acres to Sugar Creek, which is itself a Salt Creek tributary. The study was commissioned after widespread flooding in September 2008, July 2010 and April 2013; the National Weather Service Chicago office documented that last storm as record flooding across the region.

The same report notes that new storm and sanitary sewers are being built alongside existing combined sewers as part of a phased sewer separation. Upstream, DuPage County's Wood Dale–Itasca Flood Control Facility stores Salt Creek floodwater and lists Villa Park among the downstream communities it protects.

For homeowners, the practical upshot is that a basement can flood from below, through the sewer, even when the yard looks fine. Water that comes up a floor drain during a storm should be treated as contaminated; EPA advises bringing in a professional experienced with sewage-damaged buildings. Winter adds a second risk, since the American Red Cross notes that pipes in unheated basements, crawl spaces and poorly insulated exterior walls freeze most often.

Village programs worth knowing

Villa Park's Home Flood Prevention Reimbursement Program, effective June 1, 2023, shares the cost of three upgrades: an overhead sewer conversion, which the village calls the most recommended option, a backflow prevention valve, and sanitary service replacement for broken clay pipe. Participants must first disconnect sump pumps, downspouts and yard drains from the sewer system. A separate Drainage Assistance Program can cover up to 50% of eligible yard-drainage projects on single-family properties.

Drying fast, without spreading dust

EPA's moisture guidance says water-damaged areas and items should be dried within 24–48 hours to prevent mold growth. In an older home, speed has to be balanced with care: containment and HEPA filtration keep dust from cut-out materials from drifting into finished rooms while air movers and dehumidifiers do their work.

Restoration services for Villa Park properties

When a storm sends water up the floor drain or a pipe gives out, water damage restoration in Villa Park covers extraction, structural drying and moisture checks. Our main water damage services page explains each phase, and the guide to sewage backup cleanup and Category 3 water covers what changes when the water is contaminated.

After a kitchen fire or furnace problem, fire and smoke damage restoration for Villa Park homes begins with securing the property and moves through soot removal and odor treatment.

Lingering dampness in a mid-century basement is a common starting point for growth, which is where mold remediation in Villa Park comes in, using containment and HEPA air filtration.

For sensitive situations, biohazard and trauma cleanup in Villa Park is handled discreetly by trained technicians, and professional cleaning services in Villa Park cover post-restoration and deep cleaning for homes and businesses.

Our team works with your insurance company and can help you document the loss; see insurance claim assistance for how that works. We also serve nearby Elmhurst, Lombard and Oakbrook Terrace from our Lisle headquarters on Ogden Avenue.

Sewer backup or groundwater?

The source decides the cleanup. Clear water seeping through a foundation crack is handled differently from water that rose through a floor drain, which can carry sewage. Knowing which one you have also matters for insurance, because sewer and drain backup is often a separate coverage from the rest of a homeowners policy.

What to do in the first hour after a sewer backup or burst pipe

1. Stay out of standing water near power. Ready.gov warns not to touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water, and to shut off electricity only if it is safe to do so.
2. Stop the source if you can. For a supply line, close the main water valve. For a sewer backup, stop running water, flushing toilets and using the washer until the line drains.
3. Keep people and pets away. Water from a floor drain may contain sewage, so avoid wading through it and keep children out of the area.
4. Photograph everything first. Take wide shots and close-ups of the water line, damaged items and the drain or pipe involved before anything is moved.
5. Move dry valuables up and out. Lift what you can off the floor, but leave soaked carpet, pad and boxes in place for assessment.
6. Call your insurer and a restoration company. Note the time the water started; EPA's 24–48 hour drying window begins then.

Have water in the basement right now? Call (630) 241-1111 any hour, or reach us through the contact page.