What happens when you call
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Tell us what happened. 30 seconds - where the water is and how bad.
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You're connected with a local restoration crew while you're on the line.
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The crew confirms timing and sets your arrival time with you directly.
What do Minneapolis crews handle?
- Burst & frozen pipes
- Flooded basements & crawl spaces
- Sewage backup & extraction
- Storm & roof-leak flooding
- Ceiling leaks & appliance failures
- Structural drying & dehumidification
Common emergencies in Minneapolis
- Frozen pipes
- Ice dams
- Spring snowmelt flooding
- Severe thunderstorms
What's different about water damage in Minneapolis?
Minneapolis winters are the real thing: weeks below zero find every uninsulated pipe run, ice dams build on every roofline, and the spring melt tests every sump pump in a metro where finished basements are the norm. The freeze-thaw cycle heaves foundations enough to open seepage paths, and summer brings the thunderstorms that overwhelm them.
Northern policies cover sudden freeze-burst pipes as long as the home was reasonably heated - and ice-dam water damage to the interior is typically covered even though the roof maintenance itself may not be. Sewer and sump backup need their own endorsement.
Your call goes to a crew based in the Minneapolis area. Serving Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Edina, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove, and all of Hennepin County.
Repairing water damage in Minneapolis: rules, homes, and who to call
In Minneapolis the water service line is yours from the city main to your meter. The city says owners hire and pay for repairs when that line leaks or freezes, and pay the city to replace a meter damaged by freezing. Call the water emergency line, 612-673-5600; the city can send an inspector to confirm a frozen line. For a sewer backup, call 311: a city crew assesses it at no charge and fixes blockages in city pipe, and the owner can submit a claim for damages. A blockage in your private lateral is yours to clear. Sump pumps and downspouts must not drain into the sanitary sewer. Before rebuilding, you can request the city's zoning and flood plain letter, which states your FEMA flood plain designation. In a floodplain, the substantial-damage test counts donated labor but can leave out debris removal and cleanup such as basement dewatering.
Permits and licensing
Minnesota's Department of Labor and Industry licenses residential building contractors, remodelers and roofers. A company contracting with a homeowner for work in more than one skill area, such as carpentry plus floor covering, needs a license; single-skill contractors do not, except roofers. Minneapolis says almost all projects need a building permit. Contractors must show a state license or a city residential specialty license to get one, and owner-occupants may pull their own. Emergency repairs can start first if you apply by the next business day. Electrical inspections in Minneapolis are done by state inspectors. Minnesota does not license mold work. In a floodplain, repairs costing 50% or more of the structure's pre-damage market value make it substantially damaged, and the city enforces the floodplain rules inside city limits.
How Minneapolis homes are built
City historic-district pages show the range. Milwaukee Avenue in Seward has late-1800s worker houses with timber frames and brick veneer. Lowry Hill East's district houses are wood frame, mostly 2 to 2.5 stories, in Colonial Revival and Queen Anne styles. The Healy Block in Central has 1886-98 Queen Anne houses clad in wood clapboard or shingles. The Tilsenbilt Homes in Bryant, Field and Regina are 1954-57 ranches.
When emergencies cluster
Water calls follow deep cold, thaws and storms. On January 6, 2026, rain on snow cover set a daily record of 0.69 inches at the airport, and streets with snow-blocked drains had standing water. On December 15-16, 2021, a storm of historic strength melted the last of the snowpack and brought a 61 mph gust to the airport. On May 6, 1965, tornadoes struck the western and northern metro.
Water and gas: who handles what
Minneapolis Public Works runs city water. For flooding from a water main break, call the 24-hour line, 612-673-5600. Report a sewer backup to 311. For an overflowing manhole, call Sewer Operations, 612-673-5625, on weekdays, or the emergency line after hours. Gas is CenterPoint Energy. If you smell gas, leave on foot without touching switches or phones and, from a safe distance call 911 and the gas-leak number on your bill.
Also serving nearby
Common questions
How fast can someone be here?
Our line is answered 24/7, and you're connected with a local restoration crew while you're on the call. The crew confirms timing and sets your arrival time with you directly.
We were away and pipes froze - are we covered?
Typically yes, if you followed your policy's freeze precautions while away - usually maintaining heat, or shutting off the water and draining the pipes. If the heat was on, say so clearly. Review your policy, including endorsements. Document the break.
Is spring-melt basement seepage covered?
Groundwater seepage is generally not covered by a homeowner's or flood policy unless it was caused by a covered flood event. Water from a failed sump pump is typically covered only with a sump or water backup endorsement, and replacing the pump itself often isn't. A sudden burst pipe is typically covered in any season. Review your policy, including endorsements.
Who pays to fix a frozen or leaking water line under my Minneapolis yard?
Usually the owner. The city says you own the service line from the city main to your meter, and you hire and pay someone to repair it if it leaks or freezes. Call the water emergency line, 612-673-5600; the city can confirm a frozen line, and a meter damaged by freezing is replaced at your cost. Check your policy for any service-line coverage.
Do I need a permit to repair water damage in Minneapolis?
Often, yes. The city says almost all projects need a building permit. Its exempt list covers finish work such as paint, floor tile, carpeting and cabinets, plus some leak repairs that do not alter the piping. State code exempts ordinary repairs, but not opening or removing any part of a wall. Emergency repairs can start first if you apply by the next business day.
Does Minnesota license mold remediation companies?
No. The state health department says neither Minnesota nor any federal agency licenses or certifies mold investigators or remediators. Ask for a written scope, and if testing is proposed, an example report and whether the tester also does remediation. A company rebuilding walls in more than one skill area generally needs a state remodeler or building contractor license, which the state lets you look up.
Do you work with my insurance?
Many restoration contractors work with adjusters. Ask how billing works on the call, and ask the contractor about documentation and coordination with your adjuster. Sudden, accidental water damage is typically covered by homeowner's insurance. Review your policy, including endorsements.
What does it cost?
It depends on how far the water spread. Ask for a written scope and estimate before work starts. Sudden, accidental water damage is typically covered by homeowner's insurance. Review your policy, including endorsements.
What should I do while I wait?
If it's safe, shut off the water source and power to wet areas, and move valuables up off the floor. The crew handles the rest.