Water Damage Restoration in DeSales University, PA

Whatever got wet in your DeSales University home, the next few hours matter more than the next few days. Call us and we'll find a restoration specialist from our network who works in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and can get dehumidifiers and extraction equipment to you soon.

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Someone picks up, day or night.

Gutted room with metal stud framing and new drywall sheets during water damage repairs

What we know about water in DeSales University

Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Public records, linked in each box.
Source: NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals, station USC00368400
53.4 in
Rain and melted snow, in inches, in a typical year

88% of the 30,291 places we track come out drier. A normal year here brings enough water to find any weak spot in a roof or along a foundation wall.

Source: NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals, station USC00368400
JUL
The wettest part of the year here: July

If you've been meaning to clear the gutters, do it before July comes around.

Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, 2016-01-01 to 2026-10-31
1
Federal weather or water disasters in Lehigh County since 2016, out of 3 declarations in all
  • Snowstorm1

Ice and snow come first here. It's the hard freeze that does the damage, so know where your main valve is before one arrives. Not counted here: 2 more for things like fires or the pandemic.

Before anyone arrives

The first hour after a leak in DeSales University

Go through these in order and skip anything that doesn't feel safe. None of it is worth getting hurt over.

  1. Shut off the water

    Look for the main valve near the meter or where the line comes into the house, and turn it slowly, since older valves can stick. If it's one fixture, its own shutoff valve will do.

  2. Stay clear of the power

    If you can reach the breaker panel without stepping in water, switch off the wet rooms. If you can't, leave it alone, stay out of the water and tell us when you call.

  3. Take pictures first

    Before you clean up, photograph the water, where it came from and whatever it damaged. Your insurance company will ask, and you only get one chance at those shots.

  4. Rescue what you can

    Move rugs, papers, photos and electronics to a dry room, and prop furniture up off the wet floor. Everything else can wait.

  5. Let the air move

    If the water is clean and the power's safe, open interior doors and run the fans you have. Stay out if it's sewage or floodwater, and keep that air away from the rest of the house.

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Mold can get started within 24 to 48 hours, so it's worth calling even if the worst seems over.

What tends to fail in DeSales University houses like yours

We don't have a build year on record for this area, so these are the checks for any home. Start with the water heater. Most tanks last 8 to 12 years, and when one gives out, it empties onto the floor. Then look at the washing machine hoses and the flexible lines under your sinks and toilets.

It's also worth finding your main water valve now, while nothing's wrong. If you do find gray plastic pipe or rusty steel pipe, ask a plumber to take a look before it lets go.

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Gloved hands fitting a threaded pipe to a radiator

From first call to final repair in DeSales University

The Northeast

What's different about water damage in DeSales University

Weather

You get a bit of everything here: long freezes that burst pipes, ice dams that send water through ceilings, and big coastal storms. Rivers can rise fast when heavy rain falls on melting snow, or when a tropical system stalls overhead.

Buildings

This is some of the oldest housing in the country. Stone and brick foundations let groundwater seep through, plaster walls and hardwood floors need slow drying, and radiators and steam systems add old pipework that can fail with little warning.

Ground

Dig down a little around here and you'll often hit rock. Water can't go through it, so it moves along it, and if your foundation's in the way, it comes in. A damp cellar after a rainy week is very often groundwater, not a leak.

Drying

Water won't leave a cold wall quickly. Bringing in controlled heat warms the materials and speeds things up, and dehumidifiers catch what comes out. That's especially useful with stone foundations and old plaster.

When you call

What to expect once you've called from DeSales University

It starts with a few quick questions: your address, what happened and how long it's been wet. Then we'll connect you with someone from our network who works in Lehigh County. Your own home, a rental or a business, you'll know what's next before the call ends.

Before any equipment goes in, the specialist needs to know two things: how far the water got, and how dirty it is. Thermal cameras and moisture meters answer the first. For the second, there are three answers: Category 1, clean water, Category 2, dirty water, or Category 3, sewage and floodwater. With Category 3, plastic containment goes up and negative air machines with HEPA filters keep your house's air clean.

Expect the drying to take longer than the cleanup. After a truck-mounted or portable unit has pulled out the standing water, air movers and LGR (low grain refrigerant) dehumidifiers run around the clock. Desiccant units get swapped in for cold rooms and dense materials. The specialist takes psychrometric readings each day, tracking temperature and humidity to see how fast the air is taking up water.

The finish line isn't when things look dry. Readings from dry wood and drywall in your own house set the target, called the dry standard, and the equipment stays until the wet areas reach it. That's the IICRC S500 standard for water damage at work, and those daily records are what your insurance company wants to see.

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What can usually be saved in a DeSales University home

Don't write everything off just because it's wet. Clean-water carpet can usually be dried where it sits, with new pad underneath. Hardwood floors respond well to floor drying mats if you get to them early, though you may see some cupping for a while. And drywall usually needs a flood cut near the floor, not a whole new wall.

The exception is dirty water. Whatever soft material sewage or floodwater touched has to be removed, and the rest gets an antimicrobial cleaning. Don't relight a gas heater or water heater that sat in water, and if a floor feels soft, stay off it and mention it on the call.

DeSales University and the rest of Lehigh County

We take calls from all over DeSales University and the rest of Lehigh County, for houses, apartments and commercial buildings. If you're not sure you're close enough, just ask.

ZIP codes in DeSales University

  • 18034

Other Pennsylvania service areas

DeSales University water damage questions

How fast can someone get to me in DeSales University?

It depends on the time and the weather, but same-day help is what we aim for, and it's often a matter of hours. The local specialist will give you a time on the phone, so you're not left guessing.

Can I clean up water damage myself?

Some of it, yes. A bit of clean water on tile is a job for a mop and a fan. It's different when water has got under the flooring or into a wall, or when it's dirty. Household fans can't dry a wall cavity, and sewage isn't safe to handle.

How long does it take to dry out a house?

Most homes take three to five days of drying once the water's out. Dense materials such as hardwood and plaster can take longer, and any rebuilding comes afterward.

Can wet hardwood floors and carpet be saved?

It depends on time and on the water. For hardwood, floor drying panels and patience can do a lot, though refinishing may still be needed. For carpet, clean water usually means new pad and the same carpet. Contaminated water means replacing both.

Will my insurance pay for water damage?

That's between you and your insurance company, but most policies cover sudden water damage from inside the home. Flood is separate, and sewer backup is often an add-on. Your best help is good records: photos from the start, plus the daily drying readings.

Need help with water in DeSales University?

(888) 596-0163

Tell us what's happening, and we'll line up a specialist from our network in Lehigh County. That's all you need to do for now.

Call Now: (888) 596-0163