Water Damage, Mold and Restoration Companies in the Fargo Area

What Makes Fargo Different

Fargo and Moorhead sit on the floor of an ancient lake bed, one of the flattest places in the country. The Red River flows north, so snow melts upstream while the river to the north is still frozen, and water backs up across the valley. The 2009 flood set a record crest in Fargo, and spring flood fights are part of life here. Flood insurance is a separate policy, and most policies take 30 days to start, so buy it well before the thaw.

Winters are long and very cold, with blizzards and weeks below zero. Pipes in exterior walls, garages and crawlspaces freeze and split, and the leak often shows up when things warm up. Ice dams form on homes with little attic insulation and push meltwater into ceilings and walls.

The heavy clay soil holds water and moves as it freezes, thaws, swells and dries. Basement walls crack and seep, and water comes up through floor drains when the ground is saturated. A sump pump with a battery backup and a backwater valve on the sewer line prevent a lot of damage. Test for lead paint and asbestos before any demolition in homes built before 1978.