Water Damage Restoration in Swampscott, MA

Swampscott is small, but almost every part of it is close to salt water or to an old foundation. That shapes the water damage we see here.

The shoreline and Humphrey Street

Humphrey Street runs along the water from King's Beach past Fisherman's Beach toward Phillips Beach. When a nor'easter peaks at high tide, waves and spray can come over the seawalls and send water toward homes and businesses on the low side of the street. Salt water leaves residue that holds moisture and corrodes metal, so it has to be rinsed out as well as dried. See storm and flood damage restoration.

Large older homes and ice dams

Many Swampscott houses, including those in the Olmsted-designed neighborhood and around Beach Bluff, date from the late 1800s and early 1900s. They often have big attics, complex rooflines and limited insulation. After a snowstorm, heat escaping into the attic melts the snow, and ice dams form at the eaves. The meltwater backs up under the shingles and shows up as stains on top-floor ceilings and walls.

Basements near the beaches

Homes on low ground near the beaches and along the Stacey Brook line toward Lynn can see groundwater rise into basements after long rain or a spring thaw. A sump pump that fails during that window is the usual cause of a flooded Swampscott basement.

Seasonal and second homes

Some waterfront houses sit empty for weeks in winter. If the heat drops and a pipe freezes, the leak can run for days before anyone notices. A neighbor with a key and a low-temperature alarm are cheap insurance.