Some very interesting facts are listed in the 2014 research paper “The Prevalence and Cost of Urban Flooding - A Case Study of Cook County, IL”, which was prepared by The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), an innovations laboratory for urban sustainability. This study attempted to collectively analyze flood damage claims and sewer and backup claims from several providers of insurance and other financial assistance groups. It looked at claims paid out between 2007-2011.

Some of the key points of this analysis were:

1. Urban flooding in Cook County is chronic and systemic, resulting in damage that is widespread, repetitive and costly.

2. Over 181,000 claims were made across 97 percent of Cook County.

3. There are multiple social and economic impacts on residential property owners, including stress, ill health, loss of use of property, loss of valuables and hours of work time to clean up.

4. Flood insurance is not carrying the burden of damage payouts.

5. Experts estimate that wet basements decrease property values by 10-25%.

6. Wet basements are among the top reasons that potential buyers don’t purchase a home.

7. Experts estimate that almost 40% of small businesses never reopen following a flooding disaster.

8. 76% of survey respondents who had flooded had invested in measures to prevent future flooding but only 6% of those people feel that they have addressed their problem.

This is why flood control systems are so important to Chicago residents and why Parks’ Plumbing and Sewer, Inc., has been providing flood control systems in Chicago and yard drainage systems in Chicago since 1983. Their patented Double Guard Valve is the number one reason to trust them to stop the flooding in your home and property. They are professional plumbers who have specialized in flood control systems for homes and businesses in Chicago. Don’t wait until the damage is done, call the flood control experts in Chicago today.