Disaster Recovery & Restoration,
Services in West Chicago, IL

Water, fire and mold restoration in West Chicago, IL

ServiceMaster Restoration Services provides 24/7 water damage restoration, fire and smoke cleanup, mold remediation, biohazard cleanup and cleaning across West Chicago. What sets the city apart: about one in eight homes was built in 1939 or earlier, so many repairs start with checking for lead paint and asbestos.

West Chicago's homes span nearly a century

Prewar houses are a real part of West Chicago's housing. Of the city's 7,745 housing units, 950 were built in 1939 or earlier, and half of all homes, 50.1%, predate 1980, per the ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates.

The median year built is 1980, right on the line. Most homes are detached houses, 5,205 of them, and owners occupy about 70.9% of occupied units. Newer subdivisions from the 1990s and 2000s sit alongside an older core, so one block can present very different repair questions from the next.

Why older West Chicago homes need extra care after damage

Flood cuts, fire cleanup and mold removal all disturb building materials. In older houses, those materials can include lead-based paint and asbestos, and both need to be handled before demolition rather than discovered during it.

Lead-based paint

The federal government banned the sale of lead-based paint for homes in 1978. The EPA RRP program requires firms paid to disturb painted surfaces in pre-1978 homes to be certified and to train their workers in lead-safe practices. EPA allows an emergency exemption for work immediately necessary to protect property after a disaster, but firms must still meet the rule's cleaning, cleaning verification and recordkeeping requirements.

Asbestos

Per the EPA's asbestos guidance for homeowners, materials that might contain asbestos and are damaged, or are about to be disturbed, should be sampled by a trained, accredited professional. Undamaged material is generally safest left in place. EPA warns that cutting, sanding, drilling or scraping it can release fibers.

Neither rule is a reason to delay emergency drying. Water can be extracted and the space stabilized while testing is arranged, which keeps a water loss from turning into a mold problem.

Plaster walls behave differently

Prewar homes often have plaster on wood lath instead of drywall. Plaster holds up to water better than drywall but dries slowly, so moisture readings decide whether it can stay or must be opened.

What to do in the first hour

1. Get out first. For any fire, leave and call 911. The Red Cross says to stay out of fire-damaged homes until local fire authorities say it is safe to re-enter.
2. Know your shutoffs. West Chicago's emergency guidance tells residents to know how to shut off electricity, gas and water at the main switches and valves.
3. Avoid shock hazards. Don't touch wet electrical equipment or stand in water near it.
4. Don't sand, scrape or tear out old finishes. In a pre-1978 home, leave damaged paint, plaster and old flooring alone until materials are assessed.
5. Photograph and list damaged belongings. The city recommends keeping an inventory of possessions; photos taken before cleanup make a claim easier.
6. Call for drying help. Getting water out and air moving quickly limits how far moisture spreads into plaster and framing.

Storms, the West Branch and basement backups

The West Branch of the DuPage River runs past the city, and the U.S. Geological Survey lists a West Branch DuPage River monitoring location at West Chicago, along with one on Kress Creek. The NWS flood impact list for the West Branch gauge near Warrenville notes that Neltnor Boulevard (IL-59) at Wilson Street in West Chicago is threatened at 19.5 feet, and structures along Roosevelt Road (IL-38) in West Chicago at 22 feet.

Wind is the other recurring hazard. The National Weather Service's severe weather hazard breakdown records a maximum measured gust of 77 mph at the DuPage County Airport weather station and a DuPage County maximum measured thunderstorm gust of 82 mph on July 1, 2012. Gusts like that bring down limbs, peel shingles and open roofs to rain.

For flooding, the City of West Chicago's emergency services flooding page recommends having check valves installed in building sewer traps so floodwater can't back up through drains. It also reminds residents that flood losses are not covered by homeowners insurance and that flood insurance is available whether a building is in or out of an identified flood-prone area.

After the wind, before the rain

A tarp over a damaged roof section and plywood over a broken window keep the next storm out while repairs are scheduled. The Insurance Information Institute notes that homeowners are responsible for taking reasonable precautions to protect a home from damage.

West Chicago restoration services

For a burst pipe in an old plaster-walled house or a flooded newer basement, our water damage restoration in West Chicago covers extraction and drying. When a storm opens the roof, our roof tarping and structural stabilization team can secure it.

Smoke and soot are handled through fire damage restoration in West Chicago; older boilers and furnaces are worth reading about in our guide to furnace puffback soot cleanup. For musty basements, there is mold remediation in West Chicago, and our article on black mold health risks and signs explains when to call a professional.

We also offer biohazard cleanup in West Chicago and cleaning services in West Chicago, and our insurance claim assistance helps homeowners document a loss.

Old basements, new uses

Many basements were finished years after the house itself was built. When they flood, the finish materials added on top, such as paneling, carpet and drop ceilings, are usually what has to come out.

Serving West Chicago and its neighbors

West Chicago sits entirely within DuPage County. We also serve nearby Winfield, Warrenville and Batavia. Contact us or call (630) 241-1111; we pick up 24/7.