Water damage restoration in Andover
Two major tornadoes have hit Andover in about thirty years, and an opened roof lets rain in for days. The city also runs its own building department, with permit steps that changed in 2025.
Referral service, not a contractor. A callback request is passed to an independent local restoration company. We do not perform the extraction, drying or repairs ourselves.
Two tornadoes, and the rain after
On April 26, 1991, a violent tornado crossed southeast Sedgwick County and reached F5 intensity as it entered Andover. Thirteen people were killed at the Golden Spur mobile home park. Seventeen died along the whole track, according to the historical record.
On April 29, 2022, an EF3 tornado followed a 12.8-mile path into the east side of town. Homes along Lantern Lane Court, East Minneha Avenue and areas north of 13th Street lost roofs and exterior walls, and the YMCA took a direct hit. Accounts of the event estimate about 1,074 buildings damaged and three people injured, with no deaths.
Most of the damage from storms like these is wind. But a house with a torn roof or blown-out windows can take water for hours or days after the storm, through ceilings, insulation and wall cavities. That water starts out clean, but the EPA's 24 to 48 hour drying window applies to it like any other leak. The storm damage page covers roof leaks and hiring after a storm.
Permits and inspections in Andover
Andover runs its own Building & Inspections Department at City Hall, 1609 E. Central Avenue. It handles building, electrical, gas, mechanical and plumbing permits and the inspections that go with them.
The department changed how it works with contractors in 2025, so if you last rebuilt something years ago, don't assume the old process. Ask the department, or the contractor, what this job needs.
To ask about a permit or schedule an inspection, call the Building Department at (316) 733-1303 ext. 422. Drying out a home is usually not the part that needs a permit. Replacing wiring, a water heater or framing usually is. Ask the contractor who pulls the permit to show it to you. The guide to restoration costs explains why the rebuild is usually a separate estimate.
Andover's sewer system
Andover's Wastewater Department treats more than 270,000,000 gallons of raw sewage a year. It cleans one-fourth of the city's sewer lines each year, about 28 miles per section, and video-inspects mains and manholes. It also rehabilitates about 20 manholes a year to cut groundwater infiltration into the system. The treatment plant that went online in 1997 is being expanded.
For homeowners, a well-maintained public main does not protect your own service line. Tree roots in a private lateral are a common cause of backups, as nearby Augusta's wastewater staff point out. If sewage comes up a floor drain, stop using water in the house and call the city to check the main, then a plumber for your line. The cleanup is black water work, covered on the sewage cleanup page.
Stormwater in Andover
Andover created its Stormwater Department in December 2005 to meet the EPA's Phase II stormwater permit rules. The department reviews new developments and their erosion control plans, maintains storm infrastructure, and runs water-quality programs. It is funded mainly by a stormwater utility fee that varies with a property's class, number of dwellings and size.
The department's focus is pollution in runoff, not flood insurance or flood maps. For a flood zone check at an Andover address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, and ask the city's building department about any floodplain rules that apply before rebuilding.
Andover questions
Who do I ask about a rebuild permit in Andover?
The Building & Inspections Department at City Hall, (316) 733-1303 ext. 422. It can tell you what your rebuild needs and schedule inspections.
Is Andover in the referral line's area?
Yes. Andover is in Butler County, which the line covers along with Sedgwick County. Availability depends on the day; you will be told if no participating company can take the job.
Who do I call about a city sewer or water problem in Andover?
Start with the City of Andover at City Hall. The city site lists a citizen request form for non-emergency issues. For anything dangerous, call 911.