
Don’t Let Frozen Pipes Cause Water Damage to Your Chicago Business This Winter

Nasutsa Mabwa
January 1, 2016When Old Man Winter sends Artic-like winds and blasts of freezing temperatures to Chicago this season, the potential for frozen and busted pipes greatly increases. The main cause of frozen and busted pipes is the absence of heat or insulation near pipes, plus exposure to a subfreezing area.
While dealing with frozen pipes is bad news for Chicago area home and business owners, the good news is that ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons has been providing top-notch disaster restoration services to thousands of satisfied customers for years, and we can do the same for you. Our rapid response to your water damage calamity includes emergency service and site inspection, water removal and drying, sanitizing, and, in select cases, reinstallation/cleaning and structural repairs. Other water damage-related services are available upon request.
Preparation is the key to preventing frozen and busted pipes and the subsequent
water damage
they cause, according to the American Red Cross. Here are several steps you can take to prevent the water supply lines and pipes in your home or business from freezing and breaking:
- Keep a temporary patch kit on hand to seal off small breaks. This short-term measure can hold a break until warmer weather allows you to make a permanent repair.
- Install a heat trace cable to keep cold pipes from freezing. Some heat tapes are wrapped around the pipe, others simply run along it. Follow all manufacturer’s directions for heat trace cables, which can be found at many home centers or electrical supply businesses.
- Turn off the main water valve while your home or business facility is unoccupied. This way, if the pipes do freeze and break while the water is turned off, the leakage will be limited to just the water in the pipe.
- Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature if your home or business will be unoccupied for an extended period of time. Set the temperature no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Consider relocating exposed pipes to provide increased protection from freezing.
- Open cabinet doors. It’s not unusual for plumbing that runs to a sink on an exterior wall to be extremely vulnerable because the wall is not insulated, reports Popular Mechanics
ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons serves 18 greater Chicago neighborhoods, including the River North, South Loop, Streeterville, and Ukranian Village neighborhoods. Contact us immediately at 773-376-1110 if frozen and busted pipes have caused water damage to your Chicago area home or business. We’re prepared to handle your call for help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Nasutsa Mabwa is the CEO of ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons, a nationally recognized, award-winning disaster restoration firm serving Cook, DuPage, and Lake Counties. Under her leadership, the company has become one of Chicagoland’s most trusted providers of water and flood damage restoration, fire and smoke damage cleanup, mold remediation, and specialty cleaning services for both residential and commercial clients.
A respected business and civic leader, Nasutsa has received numerous honors for her contributions to the industry and her community. Her accolades include:
- Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies - 2025 recipient
- Top 100 Women to KNOW in America (2024) by KNOW Women & JPMorgan Chase
- Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40
- SB100 Best of Small Business Award
- 2020 BBB Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics
- Stevie® Award for Female Entrepreneur of the Year
- 2020 Daily Herald Business Ledger C-Suite Award
- 2018 ServiceMaster® Achiever Award
She is IICRC-certified in both Water Damage Restoration (WRT) and Fire & Smoke Restoration (FSRT), combining technical expertise with visionary leadership. Nasutsa holds a Master’s in Urban Planning & Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MBA in Real Estate Development from Roosevelt University.
Beyond her business achievements, Nasutsa is an active community advocate. She is a Board Member of the Civic Federation, an Advisory Board Member, and Past President of the Executive Committee for the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. She is also a long-standing member of the Women Presidents Organization (WPO).
She is the co-author of RESTORE: A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Home As Your Most Valuable Asset, an essential guidebook for homeowners navigating the challenges of water and fire disasters.
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Flooded basement? Burst pipe? Don’t wait—water damage spreads fast. ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons provides 24/7 emergency water damage cleanup for Chicagoland and North Shore homes. With 40+ years of local expertise and IICRC-certified crews, we’ll protect your property and start the restoration immediately.

