Contact Meridian-Kessler Water Restoration

What should Meridian-Kessler homeowners do in the first hour after a leak?

The two jobs that matter most before the crew arrives are keeping people away from wet outlets and shutting off the water, and the steps below cover both.

• Keep everyone out of water that has reached baseboard outlets or a power strip until the power to that area is off.
• If a pipe or supply line is leaking, close the main water valve. In homes with basements it's usually on the wall where the water line comes in from the street.
• Older sewer lines can back up during heavy rain. If that's what you're seeing, keep everyone out of the water and stop using the plumbing until the crew arrives.
• If you have a sump pump, check whether it's running. A tripped breaker or an unplugged cord is worth a look, as long as you can reach it without wading in.
• After a hard freeze, check exterior walls and the garage for wet spots before you turn the water back on.
• Move rugs and electronics off the wet floor, and set squares of foil or plastic under furniture legs so the finish doesn't stain the carpet.
• The EPA's mold and moisture guide says water damaged areas and items should be dried within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth, so it's worth calling as soon as the water is under control.
• Hold off on permanent repairs until you've read your policy. The claim tips from the Indiana Department of Insurance explain why.

What details help the crew show up ready in Meridian-Kessler?

The person who answers will ask a few quick questions so the crew shows up with the right equipment.

• Whether you were able to close the main valve.
• Whether anything came up through a basement floor drain, since older sewer lines in Meridian-Kessler can back up in heavy rain.
• Whether the basement walls are wet or just the floor.
• When you first noticed it, because the drying plan depends on how long materials have been wet.
• About how old the house is. A lot of homes in Meridian-Kessler date from the 1920s to 1930s, and older plumbing changes what the crew checks first.
• Whether someone will be home to let the crew in.
• If the furnace or water heater got wet.

It's fine to guess on any of these, and the crew will confirm the details on site.

What should you expect when the crew shows up in Meridian-Kessler?

The visit opens with the source and safety, since drying can't start while water is still coming in.

Water usually reaches farther than the wet spot you can see. The crew traces it with meters and takes the damage photos that go into your photo report.

Our water restoration manager is IICRC certified. The IICRC publishes the S500 standard for water damage restoration and the S520 standard for mold remediation.

You'll see the photo report and the readings, and the crew will explain what they found so you can decide with your insurance company.

If the water came from a drain, the crew treats it as contaminated, which means cleaning the area and removing materials that can't be cleaned.

Once you give the go ahead, extraction and drying start. The crew comes back to check the readings and moves equipment as areas dry out.

Why do the age and layout of your Meridian-Kessler home matter on the call?

Many homes in Meridian-Kessler went up in the 1920s to 1930s, and houses that old can still have original supply pipes or sewer lines. Many Meridian-Kessler streets have Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Craftsman and bungalow homes. Most homes here have basements, which is where water usually collects first, whether it's from a pipe or from the ground. Because older parts of the Indianapolis sewer system carry storm water and sewage in the same pipes, big storms can send water up through floor drains. Galvanized supply lines still turn up in older homes here, and they're a common source of leaks at threaded joints. Large old trees near the house raise the odds of roots getting into an older sewer line. Mention any of this when you call, and the crew will plan around it.

Does this page cover your part of Meridian-Kessler?

The Meridian-Kessler crew covers these neighborhoods:

• Forest Hills · homes from the 1920s to 1940s, most with basements
• Oliver Johnson's Woods · much of it from the 1920s to 1930s, most with basements
• Washington Park · homes from the 1920s to 1940s, many with finished basements
• College Avenue Corridor · built mostly in the 1910s to 1930s, basements are common
• Pennsylvania Street / Washington Boulevard Corridor · much of it from the 1890s to 1930s, basements are common

Calls from nearby Holliday Park, Rocky Ripple, Meridian Hills, Spring Hill, Devon, Williams Creek, Augusta and Brendonwood reach the same team. If you're not sure your street is in range, call and ask, and the person who answers will tell you whether a crew can get to you. You can read more about water damage restoration in Meridian-Kessler and basement flooding.

What should you know before you call?