Water Damage Restoration in Logan Square, Chicago
Woke up to water in the basement, a sewer backup coming up the floor drain, or a burst pipe behind a wall in your two-flat or greystone? We pull the water out, dry the building down to the studs, and stop mold before it starts. Family owned since 1986, on site fast, free estimate, and we deal with your insurance for you.
The Logan Square crew that dries it right the first time
Logan Square is built on old housing. Brick two-flats and three-flats, stone-front greystones, courtyard buildings, and garden units that sit below the sidewalk. A lot of it went up before 1930, and most of it drains into the same combined sewer the whole block shares. That mix is exactly why water shows up here in a hard rain even when nothing in your own home has failed. Below we walk through what to do in the first hour, why buildings in this neighborhood take on water, what the work actually costs, who pays for it, and the questions we get asked most.
What to do in the first hour
- Cut the power to the wet area first, but only if you can reach the breaker panel without stepping into water. If you cannot, leave it and call ComEd.
- Photograph the water, the source, and the damage before you touch anything. An adjuster wants to see it the way it happened.
- If it came up the floor drain, stay out of it. That is the sewer, the water carries bacteria, and it is not safe for kids, pets, or bare feet.
- Report a sewer backup to 311. It costs nothing, it puts the event on record, and it is how the city tracks a blocked main on your street.
- Call a crew for anything past a couple of inches. A shop vac and a box fan cannot reach the water sitting inside the subfloor, the walls, and the framing. That trapped water is what grows mold.
Why Logan Square homes flood the way they do
The fix and the insurance both change depending on the building and where the water came in.
Combined sewers back up
Storm water and waste share one pipe under most of the neighborhood. A hard summer storm overwhelms it, and the water pushes back up through the lowest drain in the building, usually a basement or garden unit.
Two-flats and three-flats
These older brick flats share one basement and one sewer line. One backup or one failed line down there can wet the storage, the laundry room, and more than one unit at the same time.
Garden units below grade
A garden unit sits partly below the sidewalk, so it floods first and it often floods with sewage. Renters down there tend to get hit hardest and wait longest for someone to deal with it.
Greystones and old masonry
Pre-1930 stone and brick foundations crack and settle over a century. Groundwater finds the cove joint or a hairline crack and seeps in along the basement wall, slowly, without any pipe ever bursting.
Courtyard buildings
The shared boiler room and laundry room sit in the basement of these vintage courtyard buildings. One cracked supply line or clogged floor drain down there can flood several units before anyone notices.
Frozen and burst pipes
Supply lines in exterior walls and unheated back porches split in a hard freeze. The leak usually runs behind the wall for a while before it shows up at the baseboard or the ceiling below.
What happens when you call us
The same order every time, whether it is a garden unit or a third-floor condo.
Call & Dispatch
You call, we ask what happened and where the water is, and a crew heads your way. We pick up 24/7, and it is usually the owner or a real person, never a call center.
Inspection
On site we find the source, map how far the water spread with moisture meters, and check the water category. Then you get a written estimate before any work starts.
Water Extraction
We pull the standing water with truck-mounted and portable extractors, then remove soaked carpet, pad, and anything past saving so the drying can reach what is left.
Structural Drying
Air movers and commercial dehumidifiers dry the framing, subfloor, and wall cavities. We read the moisture daily and do not call it done until the numbers say dry.
Clean & Mold Check
We clean and sanitize what stayed, check for mold, and treat it if it started. If the sewer was involved, everything the water touched gets disinfected.
Repairs & Restoration
We put the space back the way it was, drywall, flooring, paint, and we document the whole job so your insurance claim goes through cleanly.
How long does it take?
Extraction happens the same day. Drying usually runs 3 to 5 days. Repairs can add a week or two, depending on how much got wet.
What the work costs in Logan Square
→ Swipe to see full table
| Job type | Typical range | What drives the price |
|---|---|---|
| Water cleanup & drying | $1,300 – $6,300 | Square footage, water category, how much has to come out |
| Sewage backup cleanup | $7 – $14 / sq ft | Black water needs full sanitizing and more disposal |
| Mold treatment | $500 – $3,000 | Only if moisture sat long enough for mold to start |
Ranges are typical for the Chicago area. Every job is quoted in writing once we see it, so you are not guessing.
Renters, owners, and who pays for it
The answer changes with the building and how the water got in.
✔ Usually covered
- A pipe that bursts or lets go suddenly
- A sudden appliance or supply-line failure
- Water from the unit above, under their policy or the building's
- A sewer backup, but only if you added a water-backup rider before it happened
✗ Often denied
- A sewer backup with no backup rider on the policy
- Surface flooding that comes in from outside, which needs separate flood coverage
- Slow leaks the insurer calls long-term or blames on neglect
- A renter's belongings, unless they carry their own renters policy
Renting a garden unit or a flat? Tell your landlord in writing the same day and photograph the water line and your belongings before anything gets moved. A landlord covers the building itself, but your own things are only covered if you carry renters insurance. Own a two-flat or a condo? Your policy and the building's master policy split the damage differently depending on where the water started, so report it to both. When the public sewer main is involved, call 311 to put it on record.
Why Chicago neighbors call us
Real reviews from real jobs. IICRC Certified #94208, family owned since 1986.
"Sherm and his crew came out fast and got our basement clean, dry, and mold free. They exceeded the scope of their job and helped us in our time of need. Could not recommend them more."
"The CleanUP Guys showed up the next day and did a fantastic job with the basement cleaning and mold remediation. The basement just smells better. Friendly, family, down to earth workers that gave us a great price and excellent service."
"The Clean Up Guys were timely, professional and very easy to work with. They finished the job quickly and as promised at a very reasonable price. We would definitely use this company again."
The questions we hear most in Logan Square
Short, honest answers to what people ask us before the full FAQ below.
Is it normal to have water in the basement after heavy rain?
In older Logan Square buildings it is common, but common is not the same as fine. Repeated water usually means the combined sewer is overwhelming or the foundation is letting groundwater in, and every soaking raises the odds of mold. It is worth finding the real cause instead of mopping up each storm.
Water came up through my floor drain. What is that?
That is the city sewer backing up during heavy rain, and it happens all over the neighborhood's two-flats and greystones. It is not something you did, and the water is dirty, so keep people and pets out until it is extracted and the area is sanitized.
Can I sue the city for a sewer backup?
Sometimes, if a blocked public main caused it, which is exactly why you report it to 311 and create a record. But most storm backups come from the system being overwhelmed, and the city usually does not pay for those. Whether you are covered comes down to the water-backup rider on your own policy.
How fast can you get to Logan Square?
We answer 24/7 and run crews across the North and Northwest Side, so we reach Logan Square quickly. Give us the cross streets and whether it is a garden unit or an upper floor, and we will tell you straight how soon we can be there.
Water damage questions, answered
Direct answers to what people in Logan Square and across Chicago actually search.
What should I do if my basement is flooded?
Cut the power to the wet area if you can reach the panel safely, stop the water source if you are able to, and photograph everything before you move it. Then call a restoration crew for anything past a couple of inches. The longer the water sits, the more has to come out and the higher the chance mold takes hold.
Is it safe to walk in a flooded basement?
Not until the power to that area is off. Standing water can hide live outlets and cords, and if the water came up the floor drain it is sewage, which carries bacteria. Stay out of it, especially with kids or pets, until a crew has cut the power and started extraction.
What should I do if I have a sewage backup in my basement?
Keep everyone out, because that is Category 3 black water and it is a health hazard. Do not run sinks, showers, or toilets, since that adds more to the backup. Report it to 311, then call a crew that can extract it and fully disinfect everything it touched, not just pump it out.
How much does it cost to fix a basement after a flood?
It comes down to the water category, how much area got wet, and whether soaked drywall or flooring has to come out. Cleanup and drying usually runs $1,300 to $6,300, sewage cleanup runs about $7 to $14 per square foot, and mold treatment, if needed, is usually $500 to $3,000. You get a written estimate first.
Is basement flooding covered by homeowners insurance?
It depends on the cause. A sudden burst pipe is usually covered. A sewer backup is only covered if you added a water-backup rider before it happened. Surface flooding that comes in from outside needs separate flood insurance. It is worth reading your policy before you need it, not after.
What type of water damage is not covered by insurance?
Usually two things: surface flooding that rises in from outside, which needs a separate flood policy, and a sewer backup when there is no water-backup rider on the policy. Slow, long-term leaks that an insurer decides were neglected are also commonly denied. Sudden, accidental events are the ones typically covered.
Are landlords responsible for flood damage?
A landlord is responsible for the building itself, the structure, and repairs to it. Your own belongings are only covered by your renters insurance. Report the damage to the landlord in writing right away and document everything, because in a two-flat or garden unit these disputes come down to who reported what and when.
Will renters insurance pay for water damage?
Renters insurance usually covers your personal belongings damaged by a sudden water event, like a burst pipe or a leak from above. It does not cover the building itself, which is the landlord's side, and like homeowners policies it generally will not cover outside flooding without separate flood coverage. Check whether yours includes sewer backup.
How long does water damage restoration take?
Extraction usually happens the same day you call. Drying with air movers and dehumidifiers typically runs 3 to 5 days, depending on how much got wet. If sewage, mold, or repairs are involved, the full job can stretch to one or two weeks. We give you a specific timeline once we have inspected it.
How fast does mold grow after water damage?
Mold can start within 24 to 48 hours if moisture stays trapped in drywall, insulation, or framing, and you often will not see it because it is inside the wall. That is why drying the cavity quickly, and confirming it with a moisture meter, is what actually keeps mold from setting in.
Will a flooded basement dry on its own?
The surface might look dry, but the water trapped in the subfloor, drywall, and framing does not leave on its own, and that is where mold grows. A box fan moves surface air but does not pull moisture out of the structure. It takes commercial dehumidifiers and moisture readings to get it truly dry.
Can I repair water damage myself?
You can handle a small, clean-water spill you catch right away with towels and a fan. Anything larger, anything from a sewer backup, or anything that soaked into walls or flooring needs professional extraction and drying, because the water you cannot see is what causes the real damage and the mold later.
What are the signs that my basement walls have water damage?
Look for staining or a tide line low on the wall, bubbling or peeling paint, a musty smell that does not go away, efflorescence, which is the white chalky residue on masonry, and drywall or baseboard that feels soft or looks warped. Any of these means moisture is in the wall and worth checking with a meter.
Sherman has led The CleanUP Guys since 1986 and has personally worked water, sewage, and mold jobs across Logan Square and the North Side for 40 years. Our crew is IICRC certified (#94208) and follows industry drying standards on every job. This page is reviewed and kept current by our team so the guidance here matches what we do on site.
Water damage in Logan Square? Let us help.
Free estimate across Logan Square and the North Side. We find the source, dry it right, and handle the insurance paperwork so you are not stuck fighting it alone.
Water damage help across Logan Square and nearby
We cover all of Logan Square and the surrounding neighborhoods. Also serving nearby Lakeview.
Water Damage in Logan Square? Call Now.
Every hour counts once water is in. Free estimate, honest pricing, and a crew Chicago has trusted since 1986. The owner still answers the phone.
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