Water damage repair and restoration in Taunton, Bristol County

What Taunton homeowners deal with

Taunton's housing is old even by Massachusetts standards. Census figures show 38% of homes were built before 1950, slightly above the state's 36%, and 64% before 1980. Those houses tend to have block or stone basements, older water heaters and pipes that run along outside walls. With 128 nights a year at or below 32 degrees and 22 days that stay below freezing, a split pipe in a cold snap is a real risk here.

Renters hold 37% of homes, often in multi-family houses where a leak upstairs drips through to the floor below, so the landlord and each tenant need to know whose policy covers what.

Flood figures matter too. FEMA's National Risk Index sets the city's yearly inland flood loss at $75 per $100,000 of building value, above Bristol County's 61, and the county has 10 major disaster declarations for floods and storms since 2000. When a basement floods from outside, the water is Category 3. Water removal in Brockton follows the same steps, and burst pipe cleanup starts with finding the split line.

What these figures mean in Taunton

Age stands out first for a Taunton water damage job. Census figures show 38% of homes were built before 1950. Many basements here have stone or block walls, old cast iron drains and water heaters near the floor. When water gets into one, the restoration crew checks the drain for a backup, the foundation for seepage and the heater for a leak. Each source raises a different insurance question. A sudden pipe or heater failure is usually covered, while seepage and outside water usually are not.

Cold comes second. NOAA's climate normals give Taunton 128 nights a year at or below 32 degrees and 44 at or below 20. The county figures are 123 and 42. Pipes in outside walls and crawl spaces freeze and split, so the crew traces the line before drying starts. Water removal in New Bedford raises the same questions, and so does sewage cleanup after a drain backup.

The first hour in Taunton

When a pipe bursts in a Taunton house, close the main shutoff, which in most older homes sits in the basement where the water line comes through the foundation wall. In a house built before 1950, as 38% are here, that valve may be stiff, so turn it slowly. Next, switch off the breakers for the basement or any wet room, and stay out of standing water near outlets. Photograph the water, the split pipe and anything damaged, because burst pipe cleanup and the insurance claim both start from those pictures. Then carry belongings up from the basement to a dry floor. On one of the 128 nights a year that drop to 32 degrees or below, open the cabinet doors on outside walls so the other pipes stay warm. Water removal in Fall River follows the same order, and the call is answered 24/7.