Water damage restoration for Decatur and nearby towns

Decatur homes and water

Many water damage calls in Decatur start in an older house. Census figures show 31% of homes built before 1950, against 6% for DeKalb County, and 54% before 1980. In those houses, water meets plaster walls, plank subfloors, crawl spaces and original cast iron drains. A slow leak under a tub can soften a subfloor before it shows, and a cracked drain can back sewage into a basement.

Apartments add another pattern. About 35% of homes are in buildings with 5 or more units and 34% are rented. A leak upstairs often reaches a neighbor, so the tenant, the landlord and the property manager all need to know.

Cold nights do the rest. NOAA climate normals show 46 nights a year at or below 32 degrees, enough to split a pipe in an exterior wall or crawl space. If that happens, shut the main valve and ask about burst pipe cleanup right away. When a drain backs up in an older home, sewage cleanup is Category 3 work and needs protective gear and disinfection.

What the Decatur figures mean for a water job

Decatur's housing is old by Georgia standards. Census figures show 31% of homes were built before 1950, against 6% across DeKalb County and the state. Those houses often have galvanized supply lines, cast iron drains and plaster walls, and hardwood over plank subfloors that often needs subfloor water damage repair once it dries. The restoration crew checks the drain lines when a leak seems to come from above, because a cracked cast iron stack makes the water Category 2 or 3.

Flood figures run a little high for the county. FEMA's National Risk Index puts yearly inland flood loss at 76 per $100,000 of building value, against 67 for DeKalb, and FEMA records show 1.5 flood claims per 1,000 homes here against 1.0 countywide. The average building payment was $11,331, below the county's $21,976, which points to smaller floods. If water comes in from outside, ask whether sewage cleanup is part of the job, since floodwater is Category 3.

Before the crew arrives in Decatur

In an older Decatur house, the main shutoff may be a stiff gate valve in the basement or crawl space. Census figures show 31% of homes here were built before 1950, so find that valve and turn it until it stops. If it will not budge, the shutoff at the meter box near the street is the backup. Next, turn off breakers for wet rooms. Take photos of the water, the source and anything damaged before you move it. Then carry rugs, furniture and boxes to a dry floor. On a freezing night, open cabinet doors under sinks so other pipes stay warm. Drying, called water mitigation, should start within 24 to 48 hours. When that is done, call about burst pipe cleanup or any other leak. Late-night calls are fine, because the phone is answered 24/7.