Water Damage, Mold and Restoration Companies in the Detroit Area

What Makes Detroit Different

Water in Metro Detroit usually starts in the basement. Heavy summer storms can overload the sewers, and older neighborhoods have seen sewage back up through floor drains during big rain events. That water is contaminated, so soaked carpet, drywall and anything porous it touched should go. A backwater valve and a sump pump with a battery backup are the two upgrades that prevent the most grief.

Winters bring hard freezes and a lot of freeze and thaw. Pipes in exterior walls, crawlspaces and unheated garages split in a cold snap, and ice dams push meltwater under shingles and into ceilings. Keep the heat on when you travel and know where your main shutoff is before January.

Much of the housing in Detroit and the inner suburbs was built before 1978, so lead paint is likely on old trim, windows and plaster. Old plaster, pipe insulation and floor tile may also hold asbestos. Many older homes still have lead water service lines, which Michigan is requiring water systems to replace over time. Test before you sand, scrape or tear out anything old.