Water damage in Tewksbury, MA: what to do first
If you are standing in water right now, start with three steps. Close the main water valve, cut power to wet areas only if the panel is dry and easy to reach, and lift valuables off wet floors. Then call (978) 252-8637. Water damage restoration is the full sequence that follows: stopping the water, removing it, drying the structure and rebuilding what could not be saved.
Most of what homeowners in Tewksbury, MA describe on the phone fits a short list. A burst pipe in a wall, a washing machine hose that failed, a refrigerator ice-maker line leaking into a floor, a ceiling stain that keeps growing, or a basement that took on water after heavy rain. Each has a different category of water and a different drying plan.
If water has reached outlets, light fixtures or the electrical panel, stay out and call the utility or 911 about any electrical or gas risk before you call us. Keep children and pets out of any water that came from a drain or sewer.
How a call works
You call the 24/7 line, and a dispatcher asks what happened, where the water is and whether it is still arriving. We send a crew when one is free, with same-day response when available. We never promise an arrival time, because weather and other emergencies change it.
On site, the crew inspects with moisture meters and a thermal imaging camera, then writes a scope: what comes out, what gets dried, what gets rebuilt. Scope and price are explained before work starts, and the written scope doubles as documentation for your insurer.
Call dispatch
Describe the damage at any hour and stop the source if you can.
Inspection and scope
A crew maps the moisture and writes up what needs to happen.
Mitigation
Water is extracted and drying equipment starts working.
Cleanup and repair
Damaged materials are removed and the rebuild is finished to match.
Tewksbury water, rivers and what they mean for your home
Tewksbury draws its drinking water from the Merrimack River. The Town's own Water and Sewer Division runs the treatment plant and maintains more than 180 miles of water mains. If a leak is on the street side of your meter, it belongs to the Town and the Division publishes its own emergency contact. If the leak is inside your house, call us for the water and a plumber for the pipe.
Wastewater leaves town through interceptors to the Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility, and the Town bases sewer charges on water use. After a leak, ask the Town water and sewer billing office whether any adjustment applies to your bill.
Three rivers shape the area. The Merrimack forms part of the northern boundary, the Shawsheen River runs through the southern end of town, and the Concord River separates Tewksbury from Chelmsford.
In March 2010 the National Weather Service recorded record river levels at nearby gauges, including the Shawsheen at Wilmington. The report does not name Tewksbury, so check the FEMA Flood Map Service Center for your address and ask your insurer about flood coverage, which standard homeowners policies do not include.
Interstate 93 and Interstate 495 both run through the area, and crews cover homes on every side of them. If your GPS pin is off, give dispatch a landmark such as Tewksbury Hospital or the Public Health Museum, or tell us whether you are in North Tewksbury or South Tewksbury.
ZIP codes and nearby towns we cover
We serve Tewksbury ZIP 01876 and the surrounding communities: Wilmington (01887), Billerica (01821 and 01862), Andover (01810), Lowell (01850, 01851, 01852 and 01854) and Chelmsford (01824 and 01863). We also take calls from Lawrence, North Andover and Burlington.
Mold after a leak
Mold is a secondary part of our work, and it nearly always starts with water. Massachusetts does not require a license for mold remediation, so ask any company for a written scope. Our mold remediation page explains source-first removal, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health says to dry wet areas within 24 hours.