Last updated · Written by the Elite Restoration Services of Iowa team
Does Elite serve Winterset and Madison County?
Yes. Elite Restoration Services of Iowa provides water, fire, smoke, mold, storm and sewage damage restoration for Winterset homes and businesses, including older buildings around the courthouse square. Elite is locally owned and based in Des Moines, offers a free on-site inspection, and answers calls 24/7 at 515-216-4293. Call to confirm your address.
What should Winterset property owners know?
Winterset was platted in 1849 and is the county seat of Madison County. It's the farthest of our listed service areas, about 40 miles by road southwest of our shop at 751 NE 46th Ave in Des Moines, so call 515-216-4293 to confirm your address.
The Winterset Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. Most of its buildings are two-story brick commercial buildings dating from 1861 to 1965, and four are built of locally quarried limestone, including the 1878 Madison County Courthouse. Water and smoke damage in buildings like these call for extra care with original materials.
The Middle River flows past the south side of town, and the Madison County Chamber notes the county has four rivers and many creeks, which is why it once needed so many bridges; six covered bridges remain, including the Cutler-Donahoe Bridge in Winterset City Park. On March 5, 2022, an EF-4 tornado with peak winds estimated near 170 mph did significant damage on the southeast side of Winterset, according to the National Weather Service.
What damage do we see most in Winterset?
These are common kinds of losses in Winterset homes and buildings, based on local housing, weather and waterways. They're general, not a statement about any one property.
- Storm and wind damage, and water getting in afterward
- Water and smoke damage in historic brick and limestone buildings
- Basement water in older homes
- Sump pump failures during heavy rain
- Mold after slow leaks