Leaks from washers, dishwashers and ice makers cleaned up, and the floor and wall dried to readings.
Fastest: call (833) 490-5225. Or send this and we call you back.
Appliance leak damage is water released by a washing machine, dishwasher, refrigerator ice maker or similar appliance that soaks the floor, the cabinet base and the wall behind it. The crew removes the water, measures the floor and wall, removes soaked material and dries the structure. The appliance repair is a separate job.
Appliance leaks are easy to miss because they start small. A hose that has split behind a washer, a dishwasher door seal that has worn, or an ice-maker line that has come loose can run for hours before anyone notices. By the time the floor is wet, the water has often moved under the flooring, behind the cabinet base and into the wall, where it is out of sight. The damage is usually bigger than the puddle.
The cleanup starts with the water on the surface and then moves to the parts that hold it. The crew removes the standing water, lifts the cabinet base or the flooring where readings are high, and checks the wall and the subfloor behind the appliance. A floor that is dried on the surface but wet underneath will cup, swell or grow mold within days, so the readings are the guide to when the work is done.
If an appliance is leaking, call (833) 490-5225 and turn off the water supply to the appliance if the valve is reachable. The line is answered 24/7 and a crew is sent as soon as one is free. Keep the area clear of water, unplug the appliance if the cord is dry and reachable, and do not run the machine again until a repair person has checked it.
Turn off the appliance and the power before you touch any wet cord or outlet, and do not stand in water while you do so. Do not use a household extractor near an outlet that is under water. Be careful when lifting a cabinet base or flooring, because the subfloor may be soft. Keep children away from the wet area until it has been checked and dried.
The supply valve to the appliance is closed if it can be reached, and the appliance is unplugged if its cord is dry and within reach. The crew confirms that nothing is still feeding water into the area.
Water on the floor is removed with equipment and towels rated for the job, and the area under and behind the appliance is cleared. Stored items near the appliance are moved out of the way first.
The toe-kick, the cabinet base or the flooring nearest the appliance is opened where readings are high. Moisture is measured in the subfloor and in the wall behind the appliance, because water often runs well past the visible area.
Soaked cabinet bases, flooring over wet subfloor, and drywall that has taken water above the safe line are removed. Materials that can be dried and kept stay in place while the equipment runs.
The space is dried until the readings fall to the dry level, and the moisture is logged on each visit. The report notes the appliance, the hose or valve that failed and the condition of the connection, so the repair is clear.
Appliance leaks run for a long time before they are noticed, and the water runs along the floor and into the structure behind the cabinet. The visible puddle is only a fraction of the water that has moved, so the damage is often larger than it looks.
A washer that leaks during a cycle sends water across the floor and under the base of the nearby cabinets. Once the water has reached the subfloor, it can keep the wood damp for days, and the moisture moves into the wall behind the machine.
A dishwasher or an ice-maker line can run slowly for weeks. The water collects under the floor covering and in the cavity behind the cabinet, where it causes soft spots and stains long before anyone sees a problem.
A hose or a simple connection can often be replaced by the homeowner, but a dishwasher, washer or refrigerator that has leaked should be checked by a qualified repair person before it is run again. The restoration crew removes the water and dries the space, but it does not repair the appliance.
A homeowner who replaces a hose should shut off the supply first and check the new connection for leaks before running a full cycle. Keep a dry towel or a catch pan under the connection for the first few runs.
Electrical parts in an appliance that has been wet should be checked by a qualified person. The crew reports the condition of the connection it saw, so the repair person has a clear starting point.
Some flooring and cabinet bases can be dried and kept, while others cannot. Solid flooring over a dry subfloor may be kept, but cabinet base boards and flooring over a wet subfloor often cannot be saved. The crew lifts the surface where readings are high and records what it would keep.
The decision is made from the readings, not from how the surface looks. A floor that appears dry at the top may hold water in the subfloor, and a cabinet base that looks sound may have swollen from the inside.
Where a cabinet or floor is removed, the crew records the material, the readings and the reason. The homeowner can see the decision and ask questions before anything is replaced.
The crew measures the wall behind the appliance at the floor, mid-height and the top of the baseboard, then opens a small area if readings stay high. Water can run down the back of the wall and collect at the bottom plate, which is where the readings matter most.
A wall that appears dry on the surface can still read wet at the bottom plate and the sill. The crew takes readings at several heights and across the width of the wall, so a damp spot at the edge of the appliance is not missed.
The openings are small and recorded. The homeowner can see where the wall was opened, what was found and when the readings fell to the dry level.
The size of the area wet, the number of cabinets and flooring surfaces involved, how long the leak ran, and how much of the wall must be opened move the cost most. The appliance repair is separate. The price is explained and approved before work starts, and no figure is given here.
A leak that is caught after one cycle and stays on a single tile floor is a short job. A leak that has run under a cabinet run and into an adjoining room takes longer, because each surface must be measured and dried.
The repair of the appliance and the replacement of any cabinet or flooring are priced by the trade that does them. The restoration estimate covers the water removal, the drying and the report, and it is given after the crew has seen the room.
A washer hose that splits or a drain hose that comes loose can release a large volume during a spin cycle. The crew checks the wall and floor behind the machine and the laundry area, because the spray can reach well past the machine.
A dishwasher leak often runs from the door or the drain line into the cabinet base and the floor in front of it. The crew lifts the toe-kick and checks the subfloor under the cabinets, where the water tends to collect.
An ice-maker line that leaks can run for a long time, because the leak is small and the supply is steady. The water often moves under the floor and into the cabinet, which is why the crew checks well beyond the refrigerator.
An appliance leak in a Cedar Rapids kitchen or laundry room runs into the walls and the subfloor on whichever floor the room sits. The drying is the same as for any other leak: the crew measures the floor and the wall, removes what cannot be kept, and dries the structure to readings.
A homeowner who has had a river or cellar flood and a later appliance leak should tell the crew about the earlier work. Dried framing and subfloor from a flood can read differently from a fresh leak, and the earlier record helps the crew explain the new readings.
The City of Cedar Rapids building and floodplain office can answer questions about repairs to a building after water damage. A homeowner who is replacing a cabinet base or a section of flooring should ask about any permit before the work is done.
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a quick fix, and what washer and appliance leak damage should cost.
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Stained or sagging ceilings and walls opened and dried so that water left behind the drywall is found.
Damp spots and musty smells traced to their source with meters and a thermal camera before the wall is closed.
Water from a split supply line removed and the structure dried, with the pipe repair left to a plumber.
Mold in flood-wet walls and floors removed once the structure is dry, not covered over.
Often yes, because the water usually runs under the floor and into the cabinet and wall. A small puddle can hide a much larger wet area. The crew measures the area, and if it is dry, it tells you so and shows you the readings.
Towels and a fan can remove surface water, but they do not measure the moisture under the floor or inside the wall. A floor that looks dry can still be wet below, and it can cup or grow mold later. Ask the crew to measure the floor before you decide.
The appliance repair is a separate job for the repair company or the manufacturer's service. The restoration crew does not repair appliances. Keep the receipts and the crew's report, and ask the repair person to check the connection that failed.
Cabinet bases that have soaked up water often cannot be saved, while the cabinet boxes above them may be kept if the water did not reach them. The crew checks each piece and tells you what it would keep, and it records what must be replaced.
Wait until the crew confirms the drying is complete for the area and the connection has been repaired and checked. Do not run the appliance until the repair is confirmed. The crew will tell you which rooms are safe to use during the drying.
The crew checks the area that was wet and notes any other appliance or connection it sees in that space. It does not test or repair appliances. A qualified repair person should check the rest of the connections while the work is under way.