Portland & the Portland Metro, OR · 24/7
Water Damage Restoration
Burst pipes, floods, and leaks extracted, dried, and restored 24/7 in Portland.
IICRC Certified
S500 / S520 standards
EPA Lead-Safe (RRP)
Certified renovator
Insurance Approved
Direct billing
BBB Accredited
Local & trusted
5.0 ★ Reviews
Portland homeowners
Water Damage Restoration in Portland & the Portland Metro
Water damage is the most common property loss in the Portland metro. Between aging galvanized supply lines in older SE Portland and NE Alberta bungalows, sump pump failures during atmospheric river events, and the January freeze-thaw snaps that split Beaverton and Hillsboro pipes, our crews respond to water losses across Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, and Clark counties every week.
Independent Restoration Services of Portland is locally owned and IICRC-certified to the S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration. We extract standing water, dry the structure to documented dry standard, and prevent the secondary damage - warped fir flooring, saturated crawl space insulation, and microbial growth - that turns a small loss into a full rebuild.
Every job is documented with moisture maps, daily psychrometric readings, and photo records that satisfy any Oregon or Washington carrier. We bill insurance directly on covered losses so you only handle your deductible.
- Emergency water extraction and pump-out
- Structural drying with commercial air movers and LGR dehumidifiers
- Moisture mapping and content protection
- Direct insurance billing on most Oregon and Washington carriers
- Antimicrobial treatment to prevent mold in wet-season conditions
Common Causes
What causes water damage restoration in Portland homes
Burst and frozen supply lines
Uninsulated pipes in Portland crawl spaces and exterior walls fail during hard freezes like the 2024 January cold snap. A single half-inch burst can release 200-plus gallons per hour.
Sump pump failure
Common during winter storms when grid power drops or the float switch sticks. Battery backup pumps reduce risk in below-grade Portland basements but do not eliminate it.
Appliance and supply hose failures
Washing-machine hoses, dishwasher supply lines, refrigerator ice-maker lines, and water-heater tanks are the top three slow-leak sources in local homes.
Roof and flashing leaks
Wind-driven Willamette Valley rain, moss lift under shingles, and ice-dam melt push water into attic insulation and ceiling cavities, often invisible until staining appears.
Sewer and drain backups
Root intrusion into century-old clay laterals in inner SE Portland and Vancouver WA pushes Category 3 black water into basements during heavy rain events.
Foundation and crawl space intrusion
Saturated Willamette Valley soils overwhelm perimeter drains and force water through cold joints, cracks, and crawl-space vents.
Warning Signs
How to tell you have a problem
- Visible standing water or active dripping
- Cupping, buckling, or crowning of hardwood or laminate
- Soft drywall, bubbling paint, or sagging ceilings
- Musty smell, often the first sign of hidden crawl-space moisture
- Spiking water bill with no visible leak
- Discoloration or staining on ceilings or walls
- High humidity on a basement or crawl-space hygrometer
What To Do Right Now
Before our crew arrives
- 1
Stop the source
Shut off the main water valve if the leak is supply-side. Kill power to affected rooms at the breaker if water is near outlets.
- 2
Document everything
Photograph or video every affected area before moving anything. Oregon and Washington carriers require visual proof of pre-mitigation condition.
- 3
Move what you can
Lift fabric, paper, electronics, and wood furniture off wet floors. Place foil or wood blocks under furniture legs.
- 4
Call IICRC-certified help
In Portland humidity, mold can begin colonizing wet drywall and framing within 24 to 48 hours. Faster professional drying means less demolition.
- 5
Notify your insurance
File a first notice of loss. We can join the call and document the scope your adjuster will need.
How It Works
Our Process
- 1
Rapid response
On-site across the Portland metro, typically within 60 minutes of your call.
- 2
Inspect and assess
Moisture mapping documents the full extent per IICRC S500 for your insurance claim.
- 3
Extract and dry
Truck-mounted extraction plus commercial drying equipment on site.
- 4
Clean and restore
Antimicrobial treatment, content cleaning, and repairs as needed.
On The Job
Recent water damage restoration work in Portland
Real photos from IRS crews on the Portland metro job sites - not stock imagery.
Professional Equipment
The equipment we bring on every job
Consumer-grade tools won't reach professional dry standard or meet industry remediation requirements. Our crews arrive fully equipped from a Portland-based fleet - no waiting on rented gear from out of town.
- Truck-mounted and portable water extractors (Category 1, 2, and 3 capable)
- Commercial low-grain refrigerant (LGR) and desiccant dehumidifiers
- High-velocity centrifugal and axial air movers
- Thermal imaging cameras and pin/pinless moisture meters
- Negative-air HEPA scrubbers for Category 3 losses
- Injectidry hardwood and wall-cavity drying systems
Standards & Certifications
Held to documented industry standards
Every water mitigation job we perform follows the IICRC ANSI/IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration. Each loss is classified by water category (1-3) and class of evaporation load (1-4), which dictates equipment, drying time, and which materials can be salvaged versus removed.
Local & Independent
Why Portland homeowners choose a local restoration team
We are locally owned in Portland, not a national franchise dispatching from another state. Our crews live in the Portland metro, know the housing stock from Ladd's Addition foursquares to Bethany ranches to Vancouver WA new-construction, and routinely handle the crawl-space and basement drainage quirks unique to Oregon and SW Washington.
Local ownership also means accountability. The same person who answers your call after midnight is the person who oversees the job to completion.
Insurance & Pricing
Direct insurance billing - and what to expect on cost
We bill most Oregon and Washington homeowner and commercial carriers directly, including State Farm, Farmers, Allstate, USAA, Liberty Mutual, PEMCO, Country Financial, Progressive, Nationwide, and Travelers.
Our documentation package - moisture maps, daily psychrometric readings, photos, Xactimate-aligned scope - is built specifically for what adjusters need to approve a claim quickly.
If your policy includes a sewer/water backup endorsement, sewage and drain-backup losses are typically covered as well. We help confirm coverage before work begins.
Typical project ranges
Most residential water losses in the Portland metro fall between $2,500 and $12,000 depending on category, class, square footage, and salvageability. Commercial losses scale with affected area. We provide written scopes before work starts on non-emergency jobs and document emergency mitigation hourly per IICRC S500.
Related Services
Specialized water damage restoration services
Sewage Backup Cleanup
Category 3 black water cleanup, decontamination, and structural drying in Portland.
Learn more →Flooded Basement & Crawl Space Cleanup
Pump-out, drying, and restoration after a flooded basement, garage, or Portland crawl space.
Learn more →Burst Pipe & Frozen Pipe Water Removal
Burst supply lines, frozen pipes, and pinhole leaks extracted, dried, and restored.
Learn more →Ceiling Water Damage Repair
Find the leak, dry the ceiling, repair drywall from start to finish.
Learn more →Water Damage Mold Removal
IICRC S520 removal of mold that grew after a leak, flood, or burst pipe, with the moisture source fixed so it does not return.
Learn more →Service Area
Water Damage Restoration across the Portland Metro, OR
Locally dispatched from Portland to every community in our service area.
Water Damage in PortlandWater Damage in BeavertonWater Damage in HillsboroWater Damage in TigardWater Damage in TualatinWater Damage in Lake OswegoWater Damage in West LinnWater Damage in Oregon CityWater Damage in MilwaukieWater Damage in Happy ValleyWater Damage in ClackamasWater Damage in GreshamWater Damage in TroutdaleWater Damage in FairviewWater Damage in WilsonvilleWater Damage in SherwoodWater Damage in VancouverWater Damage in CamasWater Damage in SandyWater Damage in Damascus
Other restoration services we offer
Insurance Carriers
We work directly with your insurance company
We bill most major homeowner and commercial carriers directly, including:
Don't see your carrier? We work with many more insurance companies across Oregon and SW Washington. Call (503) 883-8429 to confirm yours.
FAQ
Water Damage Restoration FAQ
Additional resources
- Oregon Insurance Division: Water Damage Claims
- Insurance Information Institute: Water Damage Coverage
- City of Portland: Sewer Backup Prevention
External links to authoritative agencies, standards bodies, and government resources.
From our blog
Portland guides on water damage restoration
Storm
Atmospheric River Flooding in Portland: A Homeowner's Guide
When a warm Pineapple Express parks over the Willamette Valley, Portland sees three to six inches of rain in 24 hours. Here is how to protect your home, what to do when water gets in, and which neighborhoods flood first.
Storm
Ice Storms in Portland: Silver Thaw, Broken Trees, and Frozen Pipes
When Columbia Gorge east winds meet a warm frontal overrun, Portland gets silver thaw ice storms that snap Douglas firs onto roofs and split copper lines in cold garages. Here is how to prepare, react, and recover.
Water Damage
Sewer Backups in Portland Basements: Causes, Cleanup, and Prevention
Portland's mix of century-old clay laterals, tree roots, and combined sewers means basement sewer backups are a regular winter loss in SE Portland, St. Johns, and Vancouver WA.
Reviews
What Portland Says About Us
5.0
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