
Top Strategies to Prevent Winter Water Damage to Your Logan Square, IL, Business

Sam Simon
January 31, 2016While busted frozen pipes and ice dams are two ways that water damage can make a very unwelcome appearance at your Logan Square, Chicago office or other type of business this winter, they’re not the only potential culprits. Pipes, pumps and even parking lots are all areas that could cause water damage in your workplace if you don’t maintain them properly throughout the year. If water damage does occur, the initial steps to take include shutting off the troublesome water source, calling your insurance company, and immediately contacting ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons for high-quality and all-encompassing water damage restoration.
- Your parking lot. Parking lots collect a great deal of snow melt and runoff water and are designed to deliver this water to a drainage system. However, that doesn’t always happen if your drains become clogged with ice, litter, organic matter, or other debris, according to the West Bend Mutual Insurance Company. To prevent water damage, regularly inspect all drains and clean them if necessary. After storms or thaws, inspect them carefully for blockages and make sure that snow piles are not placed directly over or too close to the drains.
- Your pipes and interior drains. Common sources of water damage include overflow or leakage from common appliances, including the water heater, clothes washer, dishwasher, refrigerator, and air conditioning unit. To prevent water damage, make sure that the water supply line to your appliances are secure and do regular maintenance to clear clogged drains.
- Your sump pump. These devices are a great way to remove the excess water that collects beneath your building. No matter what type of sump pump you have, it acts as a last line of defense against water seeping into the basement of your facility. Make sure to routinely check that the sump pump is plugged in and functional. It is also recommended that you equip your sump pump with a back-up generator that will kick in if your facility loses power.
- Your gutters and down spouts. Gutters are constructed to gather water runoff from the roof of your business and transport it to the downspout. Check them regularly and clean them if they’re clogged with debris. Downspouts should extend out from the building to carry water away from the foundation.
Finally, if your neighborhood sees excessive amounts of snow this winter and your roof does not have a steep pitch, consider raking the snow off of it or hiring someone to do this for you.
If you find yourself in need of fast, reliable
water damage
restoration in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood,
call
ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons immediately at 773-376-1110. After all, swift action is needed to reduce the severity of the water damage situation you’re facing in your place of business.
Sam Simon
Sam Simon is the Co-Owner and Managing Director of ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons, a certified MBE/WBE disaster restoration and specialty cleaning firm proudly serving Cook, Lake, and DuPage Counties in Illinois. With over 30 years of experience in restoration project management, field operations, and emergency response, Sam plays a vital leadership role in overseeing service execution, technician development, reconstruction, and subcontractor coordination.
He holds the IICRC’s highest technical designation as a Master Fire & Water Restorer, a distinction achieved by fewer than 1% of professionals in the restoration industry. His technical scope includes water and flood damage restoration, fire and smoke recovery, mold remediation, and post-disaster reconstruction across both residential and commercial sectors.
Sam has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to helping communities in crisis. He has participated in large-scale disaster recovery efforts across the U.S., providing boots-on-the-ground leadership during Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, and Harvey, as well as catastrophic floods, wildfires, and deep freeze events throughout Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, and beyond. His dedication to serving distressed families and businesses in the wake of national catastrophes reflects both his personal values and ServiceMaster’s mission of restoring peace of mind.
In 2019, Sam was selected for the HACIA Contractor Training Program, a competitive six-month construction management cohort offered by the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association. The program delivers intensive instruction in blueprint reading, estimating, project management, and construction law—skills that support the company’s continued growth in emergency build-back and general contracting services.
Before co-founding ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons, Sam built a successful creative career under the name Sam Zabadneh, contributing to notable film and television productions including Chicago Fire (2012), Juvies (2007), and Image Union (1978). His media and videography background continues to shape ServiceMaster’s marketing strategy, digital training resources, and brand storytelling.
→ IMDb Profile
Sam is also the co-author of RESTORE: A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Home As Your Most Valuable Asset—a practical guidebook for homeowners navigating the challenges of water, fire, and mold damage.
Under the direction of majority owner and President & CEO Nasutsa Mabwa, and with Sam’s operational leadership, ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons has earned numerous regional and national accolades, including:
Subscribe
Subscribe now for expert tips, rapid-response insights, and restoration guidance delivered straight to your inbox. Whether you’re recovering from fire, water, or mold damage, stay prepared with advice from the trusted pros at ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons.
Restoration and Recovery Tips
Get Help Now
Stop fire, water, and mold damage before it spreads! Call us day or night to restore your home or business—we’ll Get You Back to Normal, FAST!™

