Burst pipe, slab leak, flooded crawl space, mold behind a wall, or smoke from a nearby fire. We have been doing this work in Encino and across the San Fernando Valley for 15 years, and we answer 24/7.
Free on-site inspection · CSLB License #1083206 · IICRC Certified Firm #65893608
Igor, the owner, speaks Russian, Ukrainian and Hebrew.
What we usually find in Encino homes
Encino has two very different kinds of houses, and they fail in different ways.
Single-story homes on a slab
Much of Encino north of Ventura Boulevard was built in the 1950s and 60s on concrete slabs, often with the original copper water lines running under or through the slab. After 60 years, pinhole leaks are common. The first sign is usually a warm spot on the floor, a higher water bill, or the sound of running water when everything is off. By then, water has often spread under the flooring and into the bottom of the walls.
Hillside homes south of Ventura
In the Encino Hills, many homes sit on raised foundations with a crawl space underneath. A broken line or storm runoff can flood a crawl space for days before anyone notices. Most of these hillsides are also in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, so smoke and ash from nearby fires is a real concern even when the house itself doesn’t burn.
The first hour
If water is coming in right now:
- Shut off the main water valve, or the valve to the fixture that’s leaking.
- If water is near outlets or the electrical panel, turn off power to those rooms, but only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
- Take photos and video before you move or throw anything away. Your insurance claim will depend on them.
- Move rugs, electronics and anything valuable off wet floors.
- Call us. We’ll tell you what to do until we arrive.
What we do
Slab leaks
If you have a plumber, they find and repair the leak. If you don’t, I bring one of the plumbers I work with. We open only what we need to reach the wet materials, dry the slab and walls with professional equipment, and record moisture readings every day until everything is dry.
Burst pipes and supply-line leaks
We extract the water, use moisture meters and thermal imaging to find how far it traveled, and decide what can be dried in place and what has to come out.
Crawl spaces
We make the area electrically safe first, pump out standing water, remove wet insulation and debris, and dry the framing and subfloor.
Mold
We set up containment and HEPA air filtration, remove what can’t be cleaned, clean what can, and address the moisture source so the mold doesn’t come back. When clearance testing is part of the project, an independent inspector does it after we finish.
Fire and wildfire smoke
Soot, ash and odor cleanup, HVAC cleaning or removal when needed, and testing for lead or asbestos when the building’s age calls for it.
Reconstruction
We can rebuild after mitigation, or hand off to your own contractor with full documentation.
We don’t replace what can be saved
Not every wet floor or wall has to come out. Hardwood can sometimes be dried in place. Tile over a slab often stays. If I am not convinced a material needs to be replaced, I don’t recommend replacing it. When it can’t be saved, I explain why and document it.
— Igor, Owner
Condos and apartments: whose insurance pays?
Many Encino residents live in condos and apartments along Ventura Boulevard. When water comes from the unit above, the first question is usually whose policy covers it: the HOA’s master policy, your own unit policy, or your neighbor’s. The answer depends on where the leak started and what it damaged. We document the source and the path of the water with photos, moisture maps and readings, which is what adjusters and HOA managers need to decide.
Insurance documentation
Every job includes photos, moisture maps and daily drying logs. When an insurance-format estimate is needed, we prepare a line-item Xactimate estimate, the software many insurance carriers use. We work with your adjuster on scope and documentation. Coverage decisions belong to your insurer.
Recent work in Encino
Hot-water line burst in the attic
A hot-water line in the attic burst and the water came down through the ceilings into the whole house. We extracted the water, mapped how far it had traveled through ceilings, walls and floors, removed what couldn’t be dried, and dried the structure room by room.
Mold behind the kitchen cabinets
The owners had just bought the house, and we found moisture behind the kitchen wall. When we removed the cabinets, there was a lot of mold behind them. We set up containment and HEPA filtration, removed the materials that couldn’t be cleaned, and cleaned the rest.
Hillside crawl spaces after heavy rain
During heavy rains, many homes in the Encino hills took water into their crawl spaces. We pumped out the water, removed wet insulation and debris, and dried the framing and subfloor before the moisture could cause mold under the house.
Nearby: Studio City
A bathroom investigation turned up Poria, a wood-destroying fungus that had gotten into the structural framing. We removed the affected materials and cleaned the area for reconstruction. The remediation took about two weeks and came to about $8,000.
Encino FAQ
How fast can you get to Encino?
We answer 24/7. Call, and we’ll tell you honestly how soon we can be there.
Is the inspection free?
Yes. The initial on-site inspection and assessment are free.
Do I have to move out?
Usually not for smaller jobs. For larger losses, sewage, or mold in living areas, it may be safer to stay elsewhere for part of the work. We’ll tell you after the inspection.
My water bill went up and there’s a warm spot on the floor. Is that a slab leak?
It might be. Water under a slab usually spreads before it shows on the surface, so it’s worth having it checked by a leak-detection plumber. We can coordinate one and check the floors and walls for moisture.
Do you have a plumber?
If you don’t have one, I bring one of the plumbers I work with, so the leak gets fixed and the drying can start.
Do you speak Russian, Ukrainian or Hebrew?
Yes. I speak all three, and I’m happy to explain the damage, the plan and the insurance process in your language.
Do you work with my insurance company?
Yes. We document the damage and work with your adjuster. We’ll also tell you when a question is about coverage rather than restoration.
Other neighborhoods we serve
Encino (91316, 91436) · Sherman Oaks · Tarzana · Studio City · Woodland Hills · Calabasas · Bel Air · Beverly Hills · Malibu · Hollywood Hills