01
Plumbing failures
Burst pipes, frozen pipes, and broken supply lines are among the most common causes of water damage in Chicago homes, especially during freeze-thaw season. We stop the spread and begin extraction immediately.
Water damage · Chicago
Extraction is the first hour. Readings are the rest of the week.
24/7 · a person answers
Water damage restoration Chicago, IL
It is 2 a.m. A pipe let go. You need a person from this Chicago shop — not a bot — on the phone, then extraction, moisture mapping, and a file the claim can use. IICRC-certified. Target 30 minutes to the door. We stay for the rebuild.
30 min
Target response
24/7
Dispatch
Certified firm
Request a callback
Get a crew moving.
A real technician from this shop answers. Not a bot. Not an outsourced call center.
Lakeview two-flat
You did not plan a water night.
Your house
You did not plan a water night.
It is 2 a.m. A supply line let go. The cabinet is soaked, the floor is dark, and it is already dripping into the unit below. You do not know if this is a plumber night or a restoration night. You just know it is getting worse while you stand there in socks — and that waiting until morning is how a wet room becomes a mold file.
Why this shop
How Big Shoulders handles this file.
01
A person from this shop answers
24/7. Not a bot, not a national number. We target 30 minutes so the carrier never has to ask why you delayed.
02
The truck is ours
A technician who knows Chicago two-flats — extraction and a moisture map, not a shop-vac and a smile.
03
One file, through the finish
Photos and readings the claim can use. If the room has to come back, the same crew puts it back.
When to call
Call if you see any of this
Do not wait to see if it dries on its own. These are the usual reasons Chicago homeowners pick up the phone.
- Standing water on floors or in a basement
- A burst, frozen, or actively leaking supply line
- Ceiling stains, drips, or a sagging board
- An appliance dumping water into cabinets or subfloor
- Sewage or dirty water from a drain or floor drain
- Musty odor after a leak you thought was “already dry”
Until we arrive
Do these. Skip the rest.
- 01
Shut off the water source if you can find the main.
- 02
Stay out of standing water until power to that area is off.
- 03
Photograph rooms, contents, and the source before you move anything.
- 04
Do not run HVAC through a wet cavity.
- 05
Do not throw out damaged items until we document them.
Chicago water losses
Common water damage situations we handle
02
Appliance leaks
Refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and water heaters all carry water. When their lines fail, we handle the full dry-out and assess structural impact.
03
Bathroom incidents
Overflowing toilets, tubs, and sinks push water through flooring into the ceiling below. We find hidden moisture in walls and subfloors so nothing is missed.
04
Sewage & contaminated water
Sewage backups introduce Category 3 water. That requires containment, protective protocols, and full sanitization — not a shop-vac and a fan.
05
Basements, kitchens & ceilings
Basements flood. Kitchens absorb appliance leaks. Water travels through ceilings and hides behind drywall. We work room by room.
06
Walls & floors
Intrusion behind drywall and under flooring is often invisible until it is expensive. Moisture meters and thermal imaging find it before it becomes a bigger problem.
Why speed matters
The window for a cheap water job is 24 to 48 hours.
Within a day, mold can start colonizing wet materials. After that, drywall, insulation, and framing are more likely to come out instead of dry in place. The longer moisture sits, the more invasive — and expensive — the repair becomes.
Chicago freeze-thaw winters and humid summers make a fast, documented response the difference between a water file and a mold file. That is why we target 30 minutes.
First hour
Water wicks into drywall, pad, and subfloor.
24 hours
Conditions for mold are in place.
48 hours
Materials that could have been saved start failing.
Process
How a water loss gets handled
01Emergency contact and dispatch
Call us and we are moving. On-call technicians dispatch any hour, including weekends and holidays.
02Inspection and damage assessment
Moisture meters and thermal imaging locate hidden water before equipment hits the floor.
03Water extraction
Industrial extraction removes standing water fast, reducing drying time and limiting secondary damage.
04Drying and dehumidification
Air movers and dehumidifiers draw moisture out of structural materials over the following days — with readings, not guesses.
05Cleaning and sanitizing
Affected surfaces are cleaned and treated to limit microbial growth.
06Restoration and rebuild
Drywall, flooring, and finishes stay in-house. You are not handed off to another contractor when the fans come up.
Field view
See the crew on a Chicago job.
Residential
Greystones, two-flats, bungalows, and courtyards on the North Side. We already know the basements, crawl spaces, and older plumbing.
Commercial and multi-unit
Stacked units and ground-floor retail. We document for the unit policy and the building, and work freight and access rules so the file does not stall.
Timeline
Extraction the same visit. Commercial drying typically 3–5 days with daily readings. Rebuild days to weeks depending on what cannot be saved.
What drives cost
Driven by category of water, how long it sat, and how much assembly is wet — not a flat “flood fee.” You get a written scope before extra work proceeds.
Insurance
Sudden and accidental water is usually covered. We photograph, map moisture, and write the scope so the claim has a spine. Coverage is still the carrier’s call.
Questions
What homeowners ask first.
How quickly does mold start growing after water damage?
Mold can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours under the right conditions. Fast extraction and thorough drying are the difference between a water job and a mold job.
Will my insurance cover water damage restoration?
Most homeowners policies cover sudden and accidental water damage like burst pipes or appliance failures. We document damage and work with your insurer from the first hour.
What is the difference between mitigation and restoration?
Mitigation is the emergency phase: stop the spread, extract, dry. Restoration is the rebuild. We handle both in-house.
Do I need to leave my home during the process?
Usually no. Sewage or major structural damage may require temporary relocation. We tell you plainly after the assessment.
Can water-damaged flooring or drywall be saved?
It depends on the material and how long it sat wet. We give an honest call either way — not a default tear-out.
Request assessment
Ready for a crew?
A real technician from this shop answers. Not a bot. Not an outsourced call center. Name, phone, ZIP, and what happened. If it cannot wait, call the 24/7 line.
(773) 900-8407Request a callback
Get a crew moving.
A real technician from this shop answers. Not a bot. Not an outsourced call center.