Coming home to three days of water from a failed water heater is a gut punch. The fix is a full restoration: get the water out, dry the structure, remove what is ruined, and rebuild it so you cannot tell anything happened.
One free call connects you with an independent local specialist. Areas served include zip codes 54313 54303.

A Water Damage is a free referral service. Calls go to independent, licensed and insured restoration contractors near Howard who handle the whole job, so you are not coordinating a water mitigation company, a drywall crew, and a flooring installer on your own.
Many independent restoration pros handle both mitigation and reconstruction, which means one scope of work, one schedule, and one person to call when you have a question.
Restoration contractors commonly write estimates in Xactimate, the same software most insurance adjusters use, so line items for flood cuts, drying days, and baseboard replacement match what your carrier expects.
Reconstruction sometimes requires permits. Ask the contractor for license and insurance proof up front, and confirm who is pulling any permits your job needs.
Local pros can often start the same day. Faster mitigation means less demolition and a smaller rebuild bill.

Restoration follows a set order. Skipping a step, like closing up walls before the framing is dry, is how mold ends up behind brand new drywall six months later.

The first phase stops the water and limits the spread: extraction, drying setup, and protecting unaffected rooms with plastic containment.
Wet drywall is cut at a straight line, often two or four feet up, to expose framing for drying. Swollen MDF baseboards, saturated insulation, and delaminated cabinet toe kicks come out too.
Your belongings are moved off wet floors, set on blocks, or boxed and stored offsite, with an inventory you can hand to your insurance company.
The rebuild covers hanging and finishing drywall, matching wall texture, installing new trim, and painting so the repaired area blends in.
Depending on the material, floors are dried and refinished, re-padded, or replaced. Laminate rarely survives a soaking, while solid hardwood often can.
Tell the dispatcher what happened and how long the water was there, so you are matched with a contractor who handles mitigation and rebuild.
You get a direct call from the pro with a timeframe, plus quick advice on shutting off water and power while you wait.
The pro maps wet areas, photographs everything, and writes up a scope for mitigation and reconstruction that you approve before work starts.
After drying is verified, rebuild begins. The job ends with a walkthrough so you can check paint, trim, and floors before you sign off.
Every day of delay adds demolition to the bill.
Water heater failed while we were away for four days. They handled everything, from drying to new drywall and paint, and the rooms look like nothing happened.
Rachel D.Water heater failure, full rebuildOne contractor for drying and rebuilding made it simple. Their estimate matched the adjuster's line by line.
Tom H.Insurance claim, kitchen and dining roomThe pack-out was the part I worried about most. Everything came back labeled and in one piece.
Monique L.Contents pack-out and carpet replacementI wanted the walls closed fast, but they waited for dry readings first. That patience saved me a mold problem.
Greg P.Supply line leak, finished basement

Mitigation is the emergency phase: stopping the water, extracting it, and drying the structure. Restoration includes mitigation plus the rebuild, like new drywall, trim, paint, and flooring.
Drying usually takes three to five days. Rebuild time depends on the scope, from a few days for a single room to several weeks when kitchens or floors are involved.
Covered losses typically include repairs, not just drying. Check your policy with your agent, and keep the contractor's photos and logs.
Saturated drywall often cannot be saved, and the cut opens the wall cavity so the studs and insulation dry. It also makes patching cleaner.
In many cases you can stay. Larger or contaminated losses may require moving out briefly, and your policy may cover the cost.
No. A Water Damage is a free referral service that connects you with independent, licensed and insured local contractors. The contractor you hire does the work and bills you directly.

Independent restoration contractors in the network work throughout Howard, WI and nearby communities, including zip codes 54313 54303.
Nearby cities served are listed below. If your address is outside a contractor's range, you will be told right away.
