Disaster Recovery & Restoration,
Services in Woodridge, IL

Water, fire and mold restoration in Woodridge, IL

ServiceMaster Restoration Services handles 24/7 water damage, fire and smoke restoration, mold remediation, biohazard cleanup and cleaning for Woodridge homes and businesses. The local fact that shapes most jobs here: 42.7% of Woodridge's housing went up in the 1960s and 1970s, so many repairs involve older materials.

How old are Woodridge homes?

Woodridge grew fast in two decades. Of its 14,000 housing units, 17.9% were built in the 1960s and 24.8% in the 1970s, the largest single decade in the Census table.

Put another way, the ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates show 46.7% of Woodridge homes were built before 1980, and the median home dates to 1982. That is a large stock of homes now roughly 45 to 65 years old, which usually means a mix of original materials and decades of remodeling layered on top.

Lead paint and asbestos: why they matter during restoration

Water and fire damage almost always means opening walls, pulling flooring or scraping ceilings. In a house built before 1978, that can disturb lead-based paint. EPA estimates that roughly three-quarters of U.S. homes built before 1978 still contain some lead-based paint, and its Renovation, Repair and Painting rule requires paid contractors who disturb painted surfaces in those homes to be certified and to follow lead-safe work practices. The rule generally does not apply to owners working on their own homes, but it does apply to rentals.

Asbestos needs the same caution. EPA guidance on asbestos says material in good condition should usually be left alone, but that damaged material, or material about to be disturbed by repairs, should be sampled by a trained and accredited professional. Older drywall, insulation and flooring all deserve a test before demolition starts.

Neither concern means a Woodridge home is unsafe. It means the order of work matters: assess, test where needed, contain, then remove.

Containment before demolition

Plastic sheeting, sealed doorways and a HEPA air scrubber keep dust from wet drywall and old finishes inside the work area. EPA's lead-safe practices center on the same idea of containing dust and cleaning it up thoroughly afterward.

Sewer backups, drainage and the village's incentive program

Woodridge runs two separate systems, one for storm water and one for sanitary sewage. The village asks residents not to drain sump pumps, gutters, downspouts or pool water into the sanitary sewer, and it offers incentives aimed at reducing both home sewer backups and the stormwater that reaches the sanitary system.

The Village of Woodridge offers private sanitary sewer incentives for five projects: an overhead sewer system, an exterior check valve in the clean-out, an interior check valve, an interior gate valve, and disconnecting a foundation drain from the sanitary service in favor of a sump pump. The village reimburses 50% of installation cost up to set maximums, once a building permit is issued and a qualified plumber completes the installation.

Yard water is its own issue. The village's yard flooding guidance notes that lots are graded to carry rain to the street or a storm basin, and that most drainage problems come from homeowner changes such as regrading, retaining walls, sheds and fences. It also points out that diverting storm water onto a neighbor's lot is against state law.

The East Branch of the DuPage River adds a river dimension. National Weather Service flood categories for the East Branch gauge at Bolingbrook cover the reach from Maple Avenue in Lisle down to the West Branch, and the 2021 update was coordinated with the Village of Woodridge. The gauge's NWS impact list notes that Hobson Road in Woodridge is threatened at 24.5 feet and residential structures at Seven Bridges in Woodridge at 26 feet.

Check valves and overhead sewers

A backwater valve lets wastewater leave the house but closes when the sewer pushes back. An overhead sewer goes further by lifting basement drains up to the sewer line with an ejector pump, so a surcharged main has nowhere low to go.

Our services in Woodridge

For a flooded lower level or a leaking supply line, our Woodridge water damage restoration service covers water removal, drying and documentation. Smoke and soot from a kitchen fire or furnace problem are handled through fire damage restoration in Woodridge, backed by our broader fire damage services.

Visible growth or a lingering musty smell calls for mold remediation in Woodridge. We also provide discreet biohazard cleanup in Woodridge and cleaning services in Woodridge for homes and workplaces.

Two guides are worth bookmarking: what to do in the first hour after a burst pipe and our fall maintenance checklist for preventing winter water damage. When it's time to file, our insurance claim assistance helps you organize photos, moisture readings and invoices.

First-hour checklist after water or fire damage

1. Make sure everyone is safe. Leave a smoky or fire-damaged house and wait for the fire department to clear it before going back in.
2. Don't mix water and electricity. Stay out of standing water near outlets, appliances or a breaker panel, and shut off power only if you can do it without stepping into water, as Ready.gov advises.
3. Close the main water valve. It is usually near the water meter, where the service line enters the house.
4. Call Public Works for a sewer backup. The village asks residents with an unexplained sanitary backup to call Public Works so the public line can be inspected.
5. Record the damage. Take wide shots of each room plus close-ups of serial numbers, water lines and ruined items.
6. Don't start demolition in an older home. Leave wet drywall and old flooring in place until testing for lead or asbestos is sorted out.

Split-level homes dry in layers

A split-level often has a lower family room a half story below grade and a crawl space beside it. Water can reach both, so each level gets its own moisture readings and drying plan rather than one set of fans for the whole house.

Nearby towns we serve

Woodridge sits almost entirely in DuPage County; the ACS counts 37 of its 33,941 residents in a small Will County section. We also serve the neighboring communities of Lisle, Downers Grove, Darien and Bolingbrook. Reach us through our contact page or call (630) 241-1111 around the clock.