Larger lots and private systems
Andover has city neighborhoods with municipal water and sewer and rural residential areas with acreage lots, wells and septic systems. The Rum River runs along the western side of the city, and Coon Creek and a number of lakes and wetlands sit within it.
How wells and septic systems affect water damage
Well equipment in the house
A home on a well has a pressure tank, a pressure switch and often a softener or iron filter, usually in the basement or utility room. A failed tank, a split fitting or a stuck pressure switch can release a lot of water. Know where the pump breaker is. Switching it off stops the water even if a valve will not.
Septic backups
When a septic tank is overdue for pumping, a drain field is saturated in spring, or a line between the house and tank is blocked, wastewater comes back into the lowest drain. This is contaminated water and is handled as sewage backup cleanup. The septic system itself needs a licensed septic contractor.
Power outages hit twice
On a rural lot, an outage stops the sump pump and the well pump together. Outages can also last longer than in denser areas. A generator or battery backup for the sump is worth having. See sump pump failure cleanup.
Other common causes in Andover
Walkout basements
Sloped lots make walkout basements popular. The walkout door and the grade around it are where surface water gets in during fast snowmelt or a heavy storm, particularly if the patio slopes toward the house. See flooded basement cleanup.
Large roofs and ice dams
Bigger homes with complex rooflines, valleys and vaulted ceilings are more likely to form ice dams. Vaulted ceilings leave little room for insulation and ventilation.
Outbuildings and bonus rooms
Heated shops, pole buildings with water lines and bonus rooms over garages all have plumbing that is harder to keep warm. They are frequent sites of frozen pipe damage.
Snowbirds and travel
A house left for weeks in winter is the classic setting for a furnace failure followed by frozen pipes. On a large lot, no neighbor is close enough to notice water running out under the garage door.
Bigger homes, bigger drying jobs
More square footage and more levels mean more places for water to travel. A second-floor leak in a large two-story with a finished walkout can involve three levels and several thousand square feet. These jobs need more equipment and careful mapping of the wet area before drying starts.
Services most requested in Andover
Nearby
We also serve Anoka and Ramsey to the southwest, Coon Rapids to the south and Blaine to the southeast.