Location: Niles, IL
Property Type: Residential Property
Service Provided: Basement Water Damage Mitigation, Water-Damaged Material Removal, Cleaning, Sanitization, and Structural Drying
Cost of Services: $27,500
The Problem & Solutions
On September 4, 2024, a homeowner called us about a failed sump pump in the basement of a residential property in Niles, Illinois. Water seeped into several rooms, soaking into the bottom part of the walls, insulation, and materials around them.
We classified this water damage as Category 2 because the water was contaminated, and Class 2 because water got into the drywall, insulation, and other porous materials throughout the basement.
Here’s what we found and how we addressed each issue:
Kitchen
- Water-damaged walls and insulation. Water reached the lower walls and insulation, including areas behind the kitchen cabinets. We cut out wet drywall up to 4 feet high, removed damaged insulation, baseboards, and sections of ceramic tiles.
- Moisture behind cabinets and appliances. We detached the countertop, lower cabinets, sink, and plumbing to get to the wet areas behind them.
- Moisture in wall cavities and floors. After taking out damaged materials, we vacuumed, cleaned, and sanitized the wall framing and floors.
Eat-in and Workout Areas
- Wet drywall, insulation, and baseboards. The lower walls in both rooms got wet. We removed the baseboards, cut out wet drywall, and took out damaged insulation.
Hallway and Under-Stair Area
- Water-damaged walls and baseboards. Water spread through the wall materials and insulation in both connecting spaces. We opened the walls up to 4 feet high and removed damaged materials.
Utility Room and Linen Closet
- Wet walls, insulation, and trim. Both spaces had soaked lower walls. We removed the baseboards, door trim where needed, and damaged drywall and insulation.
Cedar Room
- Water damage along the lower walls. Moisture got into the lower wall sections, so we had to remove damaged materials and inspect what’s going on behind the cedar finish.
Bathroom
- Water-damaged walls and tile. Water spread across the lower walls, including behind ceramic tile and bathroom fixtures. The work called for removing damaged tile and opening the walls up to 4 feet high.
Bar Area
- Wet drywall, insulation, and trim. Moisture reached the lower walls and ceramic tile trim around the bar. We removed damaged baseboards, tile trim, and drywall up to 4 feet.
The Timeline
September 6 – Initial Assessment and Preparation
- The first step we took was to take moisture readings to see the extent of water damage throughout the basement.
- Our team packed and moved belongings to make room for our restoration team to begin their work.
September 7 – Drying Equipment Setup
- We placed 43 air movers, three dehumidifiers, and two air scrubbers throughout the basement.
September 9–10 – Material Removal and Cleaning
- We covered nearby surfaces with plastic sheeting to protect them from dust and debris.
- Our team took out the damaged drywall, baseboards, and insulation to reach wall cavities.
- We cleaned, sanitized, and dried the surfaces.
September 11 – Final Cleaning and Mitigation Completion
- We vacuumed the areas from which we removed the materials and sanitized them where needed.
- We completed the scheduled work.
