Water • Fire • Mold • Trauma
Water Damage Restoration
When water damage strikes, immediate action is critical. Whether it’s a burst pipe, a leaky roof, or flooding caused by heavy rains, water can wreak havoc on your home’s structure and belongings. We provide fast, reliable, and professional water damage restoration services, available 24/7, to help you protect your home and prevent further damage.
Our team of experts knows the specific challenges homeowners in Southeast Minnesota face — from frozen pipes in the winter to heavy rains in the spring — and we’re ready to respond whenever disaster strikes.
Common Causes of Water Damage
Burst Pipes
Freezing temperatures during Minnesota winters can cause pipes to burst, leading to sudden and severe water damage.
Seasonal Freezing and Thawing
Harsh Minnesota winters can cause pipes to freeze and burst as temperatures fluctuate, especially during the transition between seasons.
Roof Leaks
Storm damage or wear and tear can cause leaks that gradually damage ceilings and walls.
Heavy Rains and Flooding
Spring and summer storms can bring heavy rainfall, leading to flooding, roof leaks, and water seeping into basements or foundations.
Appliance Malfunctions
Dishwashers, washing machines, and water heaters can malfunction, flooding your home in minutes.
Snowmelt
As snow begins to melt in the spring, excess water can saturate the ground and find its way into basements or crawl spaces, causing significant damage.
How We respond
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24/7 quick emergency response to arrive on site. Identify and stop the source of water intrusion. Identify potential safety hazards, pre-existing conditions, the extent of damages/water migration. Set up any required floor protection, containment areas, and protect client belongings.
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Quickly remove any standing water with one of our top-of-the-line truck mount extraction units. Demolition could be necessary to expose/dry affected building materials. Lewis Restoration works to dry all affected areas to pre-loss conditions.
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Determine the most efficient method using IICRC/ANSI industry standards. Set up drying system through a combination of air movement, dehumidification, and supplemental heat.
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Coordinate with client schedule to check the job each day. Technicians document any changes, check equipment is functioning properly, take/document moisture content/atmospheric readings and adjust equipment based on findings. After moisture readings indicate all affected materials are dry, equipment is removed and a final construction clean up is done if needed.
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Because our comprehensive team also includes skilled carpenters, drywallers, electricians, and plumbers, we can rebuild and fully restore any areas that required demolition in order to dry completely. We will restore your property to pre-loss condition or better.
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If the job involves an insurance claim, all you are required to do is initiate a claim with your carrier. From there, Lewis Restoration handles all communication with your carrier to ensure you get complete coverage.
Why choose us for water damage restoration?
We pride ourselves on being transparent, reliable, and responsive. We understand the unique challenges that Minnesota homeowners face and have years of experience helping the local community recover from water damage.
24/7 Services
Our local crew is ready when you need us, night or day, because disasters don't wait for office hours.
Transparent pricing
We strive to be at the leading edge of industry certifications so you'll know you're getting the best service.
Professional Staff
We'll walk you through the process, from first to last steps, and help with your insurance company.
Your Local Water Damage Experts
Frequently Asked Questions
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Water damage insurance claims depend on a few different criteria. Ultimately, that's a question you'll have to clarify with your insurance company and/or agent. However, we can tell you that the viability of water damage insurance claims depends primarily on what caused the damage (storm, burst pipe, plumbing malfunction, localized flood, sump pump failure, etc.). Some insurance policies will outline scenarios that will NOT be covered without specific riders, like flood insurance, or sump pump failure insurance.
Contacting a restoration contractor as well as your insurance adjuster at the same time is a good idea, because the restoration contractor will help make sure that not only will the water extraction and dry out be covered, depending on the type of water loss, but the rebuild process that should follow. If the full scope of the claim isn't outlined and agreed upon from the start, there may be issues down the line, and property owners may find themselves having to pay out of pocket to get the property completely back to normal.
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That depends on the types of materials that were affected by water. Drywall, carpet, and hardwood floors will take longer to dry than other materials in the space. We use moisture meters throughout the process and in many different locations to gauge the moisture levels and will continue to adjust our fans and dehumidifiers to achieve an efficient but effective dry time. The bare minimum of "three days to dry" may only produce a surface dry, but can still leave behind moisture levels that create an ideal environment for mold to grow.
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Most homeowners start trying to remove the water themselves before they realize they'll need to contact their insurance company about a claim so they can call in a water damage restoration company. However, standing water around anything with a power cord, outlet or sagging ceilings make the area unsafe. Also, many insurance claims require documentation of the loss BEFORE any work is done, including removing the water. Always take plenty of photos of the damage you see before taking any action to start cleaning up the mess. Your restoration contractor will be able to back up your insurance claim scope with the necessary technical documentation as well.
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If the water damage involves Category 1 water (clean and free of microbes and bacteria), many of your personal belongings can be salvaged. Category 2 water would include other water sources, including rainwater, that, while not containing biohazards or sewage, still pose health risks and the potential for destructive microbial growth and mold. A water damage restoration technician will help you sort through the contents of the property to determine what can be safely dried, what can be restored by a textile/contents technician, and what can't be saved or salvaged. There are off-site facilities in the area that specialize in restoring water-damaged contents. Your restoration team will document all of the contents leaving the property for restoration or disposal for your records and also for reimbursement from your insurance company.
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Identifying the source of the water damage is one of the first steps in both the insurance claim process but also before beginning to dry out and repair the damaged areas. After all, if you replace a sagging, wet ceiling that was caused by a roof leak but don't fix the roof, too, the next rainstorm will start the cycle all over again. The buckling to your hardwood floor could be caused by a leaking pipe. We will pinpoint the exact cause of your water damage and make sure the source is repaired. We make sure your restoration job is done right the first time.