Salem water extraction

Most Salem extraction calls begin indoors: a supply line under a sink, a washing machine hose, a water heater or a toilet. Water spreads across the floor, soaks carpet pad and finds its way through the subfloor into the crawlspace below, which is the foundation type under much of the city.

The wet season adds outdoor water. Months of rain from October to April saturate the ground; heavy storms overwhelm gutters and storm drains in low streets. Homes near Mill Creek, Pringle Creek and the Willamette can see high water in big storms. Water that has crossed the ground is treated with more caution than clean pipe water.

Our main water extraction page explains equipment and process in detail.

Because so many Salem homes are built over crawlspaces, extraction often means working above and below the floor. Upstairs, carpet and pad are extracted. Below, a pump or wet vacuum clears the vapor barrier, and wet insulation is pulled so the subfloor can dry. Skipping the crawlspace leaves water under the house that keeps the floor wet for weeks.

If you can, look from the crawlspace hatch with a flashlight and tell the contractor what you see.

During heavy storms, leaves block storm drains and water pools in low streets and yards. Some of it reaches garages, crawlspace vents and window wells. Clearing the drain grate in front of your house, when safe, helps. Redirect downspouts if roof water is pouring at the foundation. See our Salem area page for more on the city's creeks and flood history.

Close the shutoff, stay out of water near outlets, move belongings off wet floors and take photos. If water came up through a drain, stop using water and treat it as contaminated. Check the contractor's license on the Construction Contractors Board's website while you wait.

Salem's older neighbourhoods around downtown and the Capitol include houses with basements, plaster walls and original wood floors. Water in those basements is extracted with pumps and wet vacuums, and finished areas often lose carpet pad and the lower part of drywall so the concrete behind can dry. Before anything is cut in a pre-1978 house, ask about lead paint and asbestos.

Salem has a large rental market and many manufactured home communities. In rentals, tell the landlord or manager in writing as well as by phone and photograph the damage; your belongings are covered only by renters insurance. In manufactured homes, water from a leak often ends up inside the belly wrap under the floor, which needs opening so the insulation and floor can be dried.

Sudden plumbing failures are commonly covered by homeowners policies; groundwater, surface water and flooding commonly are not. Photograph everything before extraction starts and keep receipts. The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation, based in Salem, takes questions about insurers.

Expect questions about the source, how long the water ran, whether it is still coming in, whether the house has a crawlspace or basement and whether the water came from a drain. For older homes, the contractor may ask the year built. Having those answers ready helps the crew bring the right equipment on the first trip.

Report the loss to your insurer promptly, but do not wait for an adjuster before extraction. Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to limit damage. Photograph the water before it is removed and keep receipts for everything.