Disaster Recovery & Restoration,
Services in Wheaton, IL

Water, fire and mold restoration in Wheaton, IL

ServiceMaster Restoration Services provides 24/7 water damage restoration, fire and smoke cleanup, mold remediation, biohazard cleanup and cleaning for homes and businesses in Wheaton, the DuPage County seat. One local fact matters most: the City has mapped 17 flood-prone areas, many of them upland depressions and overland flow paths rather than creek banks.

Why does Wheaton flood without a major river?

Wheaton started out wet. The City's stormwater management timeline describes the land at its 1859 founding as a headwater area of swampy depressions with no defined creeks. Two drainage ditches dug between 1890 and 1900 became Springbrook #1 and Winfield Creek, still the city's main drainage routes. Both feed the West Branch of the DuPage River, Spring Brook near Warrenville and Winfield Creek in Winfield.

Houses went up in low ground long before detention was required; Wheaton's first stormwater ordinance dates to June 6, 1977. Then the yardstick moved. The 100-year storm, once pegged at 5.8 inches of rain in 24 hours, was recalculated in 1992 at 7.58 inches, leaving older detention basins protecting only to about a 30-year storm.

Big rains test that system. During the April 17–18, 2013 storm, the National Weather Service Chicago office recorded 6.91 inches over two days at its Wheaton observation site. Its severe weather climatology puts DuPage County's highest measured thunderstorm gust at 82 mph, on July 1, 2012. Winter brings the opposite problem, and the agency's cold-weather guidance urges precautions so water pipes don't freeze.

Grading decides where the rain goes

Wheaton's flooding prevention tips call for ground sloping away from the house, about 6 inches of exposed foundation, and downspouts extended at least 3 to 4 feet. A City engineer will also do a free drainage review of your lot.

What Wheaton's 1970s and 1980s housing means for repairs

Wheaton's housing grew fastest just as its stormwater rules were being written. ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates count 20,359 housing units for a population of 53,557, with a median year built of 1976.

The 1970s alone account for 28.3% of homes. Overall, 62.1% of units predate 1980 and 24.6% predate 1960, while just 71 were built in 2020 or later. Of occupied homes, 5,549 are rented.

Paint and the lead rules

In 1978 the federal government banned the sale of lead-based paint for use in homes. Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting program, anyone paid to disturb paint in a pre-1978 home must be certified in lead-safe work practices. Owners doing their own work are generally exempt, but landlords are not, which matters in a city with thousands of rentals.

Asbestos in water-damaged materials

EPA lists vinyl floor tiles, textured wall and ceiling paint, and pipe coatings among places asbestos may be found, and it names water damage as a warning sign on suspect material. Intact material can stay put. Anything damaged, or about to be disturbed by repairs, should be sampled by an accredited professional.

Half-below-grade family rooms

Split-level homes often put a family room partly below grade, with paneling over furring strips and carpet laid on concrete. Water wicks behind the paneling and spreads through the pad, so a moisture meter, not a dry-looking surface, shows how far it really traveled.

Sewer backups, sump discharge and Wheaton's cost-share programs

Not all basement water is rain. The City explains that sanitary sewer backups happen when stormwater and groundwater leak into the sanitary system and overload it. Its sewer capacity plan says the only way to stop backups in every rain event is a backup prevention device for basement-level drain fixtures.

Wheaton's sewer reimbursement programs share the cost of three fixes, each up to a cap: rerouting basement plumbing to an overhead sewer (75%), replacing a broken sanitary service line (65%), and disconnecting footing tiles tied into the sanitary sewer (100%).

The rules cut both ways. Sending storm or groundwater into the sanitary sewer is illegal in Wheaton, and sump and downspout outlets must stay on your own lot unless they connect to the City storm sewer under a permit. The City's separate backflow prevention program protects drinking water, not basements, and requires annual testing of devices such as lawn-sprinkler RPZ valves.

The Insurance Information Institute notes that neither a typical homeowners policy nor flood insurance covers sewer backup; it takes an endorsement or a separate product. Our guide on whether Illinois homeowners insurance covers water damage explains the usual exclusions.

What to do in the first hour after water or fire damage

1. Wait for the all-clear. After a fire, Ready.gov says to confirm with the fire department that the home is safe to enter; after flooding, go back only when authorities say it's safe.
2. Treat standing water near outlets as dangerous. Never touch electrical equipment while standing in water, and shut off power only if you can reach the panel safely.
3. Keep vulnerable people out. Ready.gov's flood guidance says children shouldn't join disaster cleanup, and people with asthma, lung conditions or immune suppression should stay out of buildings with leaks or mold.
4. Report a City sewer problem. If you suspect the public main, call Wheaton's Sewer Division; its page lists 9-1-1 for after-hours sewer emergencies.
5. Document before you discard. Photograph water lines, soot and damaged belongings, and finish the inventory before throwing anything away, as Ready.gov advises.
6. Start drying quickly. The American Red Cross recommends drying a flooded home within 24 to 48 hours and assuming mold growth if that isn't possible.

Board-up comes before the permit

Securing broken windows and roof openings is the first job after a storm or fire. Wheaton then requires a building permit before damaged components are reconstructed, so emergency protection and permanent repairs run on separate tracks.

Rebuilding in Wheaton: permits and code upgrades

The City's guidance on buildings damaged by fire, storms or other circumstances says repairs must meet currently adopted codes. That can mean interconnected smoke alarms in each sleeping room, a carbon monoxide detector within 15 feet of bedrooms, code-compliant egress windows and fire blocking in balloon-framed houses.

The City suggests sharing that page with your insurer, since some upgrades may not be covered. The Insurance Information Institute describes an ordinance or law endorsement that pays a specified amount toward code upgrades during a covered repair. Policies vary, so read yours or check the Illinois Department of Insurance.

Restoration services for Wheaton properties

Basement seepage, sewer backups and burst pipes fall under our water damage services. Soot, smoke odor and firefighting water are handled through fire damage restoration, with emergency board-up and site securing in the meantime. Damp lower levels that grow mold need professional mold remediation with containment.

We also provide discreet biohazard and trauma cleanup and residential and commercial cleaning services. Neighboring towns have their own pages, such as water damage restoration in Winfield, downstream on Winfield Creek, and mold remediation in Glen Ellyn.

We work with your insurance company, and insurance claim assistance helps you organize photos and inventories. From our Lisle headquarters at 924 Ogden Ave, we serve DuPage and Will County, including Glen Ellyn, Winfield and Warrenville.

Wheaton basement taking on water, or smoke in the house? Call (630) 241-1111 any time, or contact us online.