Contact Ellettsville Water Restoration

What should you do before the crew gets to your Ellettsville home?

Safety comes first and stopping the water comes second. Everything after that can wait for the crew, so call as soon as the water is under control.

• Stay out of standing water that's touching outlets or extension cords, and keep kids and pets out of that room.
• Shut off the water at the main valve if you can't find the source fast. Basement homes usually have it near the water meter where the service line enters.
• Homes near Jacks Defeat Creek can take on surface water or groundwater after long rains. Note where it's coming in, like a window well or the joint at the base of a wall, so you can show the crew.
• A full sump pit with a quiet pump usually means a power problem or a stuck float. Check the outlet and the breaker only if the floor around the pit is dry.
• Frozen pipes usually split in outside walls or unheated spaces. Close the main valve, and don't try to thaw the pipe with an open flame.
• Move rugs and electronics off the wet floor, and set squares of foil or plastic under furniture legs so the finish doesn't stain the carpet.
• The EPA's mold guide puts the drying window at 24 to 48 hours for water damaged areas and items, so the sooner the crew can start, the better your odds of keeping mold out.
• Check your own policy before you decide whether to file. The Indiana Department of Insurance claim tips explain what to do before an adjuster visits.

What questions come up on the first call?

The person who answers will ask a few quick questions so the crew shows up with the right equipment.

• Whether the leak has stopped or water is still coming in.
• Whether it's clean water from a supply line or water that came up from a drain.
• Whether the water is only in the basement or has come up to the main floor.
• Whether this happened overnight or in the last hour.
• The age of the house, if you know it. Homes in Ellettsville date mostly from the 1840s to 2020s, and the decade tells the crew what kind of pipes to expect.
• The name of your insurance company, if you've already decided to file.
• Anything the crew needs to get in, like a gate code or where to park.

Short answers are enough, since the crew will look at everything again in person.

How does the first visit to your house work?

When the crew walks in, they look for where the water started and make sure it can't keep coming.

The crew takes moisture readings room by room and records them along with the damage photos, so the photo report shows what was wet and how wet it was.

Our water restoration manager is IICRC certified. The IICRC's S500 standard covers professional water damage restoration, and its S520 standard covers mold remediation.

Once the damage is documented, someone walks you through it in plain terms, and the decision about insurance stays with you. Check your own policy for what it covers.

When sewage is involved, the area is cleaned before it's dried, and the crew walks you through which soaked materials need to come out.

When you're ready to start, they pull out the standing water and set up air movers and dehumidifiers. Return visits track the readings until everything is back to dry.

How does the age of Ellettsville homes change a water call?

Housing in Ellettsville runs from the 1840s to 2020s, which means two houses on the same block can have very different plumbing. The mix in Ellettsville includes ranch and tri level homes. Foundations here range between full basements and crawl spaces, so let us know which one your house sits on. If your house has its original cast iron sewer line, a slow drain or a gurgling toilet can be an early warning. Heavy rain raises groundwater here, and that can push water through basement floors and walls. If you're not sure about any of it, the crew will check when they arrive.

What parts of Ellettsville and nearby towns do we cover?

You can reach the crew from anywhere in Ellettsville, including these neighborhoods:

• Downtown / Historic District · homes from the 1840s to 1930s
• Arrowhead · much of it from the 1950s to 1980s, basements are common
• Richland Manor · much of it from the 1960s to 1970s, most with basements
• Spring Valley · homes from the 1970s
• Centennial Park · homes from the 2010s, most with basements
• Village at Harman Farm · much of it from the 2020s

If you're just outside Ellettsville, in Spencer and Gosport, this is still the number to call. If your address is farther out, call the same number and the team will let you know whether a crew can make the trip. For details on the work itself, see our page on water damage restoration and basement flooding.

What should you know before you call?