Some home repair companies in the Madison area say they have been inundated with calls about water damage and subsequent mold this spring and summer amid a stretch of rain and storms that continues to drench southern Wisconsin.
Each business said that callers’ chief weather-related complaints are sump pump failures, flooded basements, foundation problems and sewer backups. If water problems go unchecked, they can result in mold growth in as little as “a few” days, said Dana Joyce, marketing manager at Revive Restoration. Revive Restoration has 40 employees and serves Madison only.
Sump pumps remove water and soil from the lowest point of a home, such as a basement or crawlspace, to prevent flooding, water damage and mold.
Joyce said Revive Restoration employees have been averaging up to two water repair jobs a day. For mold, that’s up to six jobs a day, she said. Most of those come from people who had water damage but didn’t discover it right away.
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Calls for water-related home repairs are up by 20% this year compared with 2023, during which Wisconsin experienced a significant drought.
“It’s way crazier than it was last year,” Joyce said.
The situation isn’t much different for Certi-Dry, which has roughly 70 employees that service Madison, Janesville and Waukesha.
Matthew Sayre, Certi-Dry sales manager, said the company receives roughly five calls a day requesting water repairs in Madison alone.
For mold, that’s also roughly five calls a day. At Certi-Dry, the number of customers needing weather-related repairs has increased 30% compared with last year, Sayre said.
Joyce at Revive Restoration said she has some tips for property owners to help prevent water damage.
“Make sure that you’re getting your gutters cleaned at least twice a year,” she said. “If you have a sump pump anywhere in your home, make sure you check that it’s working at least twice a week. The best time to look at it is when it’s running — knowing you’re 10 minutes into a rainstorm.
“It’s a good practice to get your foundation checked out. We live in a state that has extreme temperature fluctuations. You never know when a crack in that foundation will happen. It’s important to get that checked once a year.”
