An open structure invites weather, theft and liability — we secure it in hours, 24/7
When a storm, fire, or break-in leaves your Des Plaines property with broken windows, missing doors, or an open roof, the clock starts immediately. Within the first few hours, wind-driven rain and debris penetrate through every opening, soaking insulation, drywall, flooring, and structural framing. What begins as a broken window becomes a water damage claim. What was manageable becomes catastrophic. The Chicago region's unpredictable weather — capable of producing sudden downpours, high winds, and temperature swings at any time of year — means an unsecured structure in Des Plaines is never safe to leave open overnight.
By the first night, a visibly damaged property becomes a target. Theft, vandalism, and unauthorized trespassers are significantly more likely to enter a structure with visible openings. Copper wiring, HVAC equipment, appliances, and personal property are all at immediate risk once a property appears unoccupied and unsecured. Squatters, stray animals, and opportunists can compound the damage in ways that dwarf the original repair estimate.
From an insurance standpoint, your policy almost certainly contains a duty-to-mitigate clause. If you fail to take reasonable steps — including emergency board-up — your insurer may deny or reduce the portion of your claim that covers subsequent damage. In other words, not boarding up can cost you far more than the board-up itself. Beyond insurance, an open structure creates serious liability exposure. If anyone enters your property and is injured, you may face legal responsibility as the property owner. Illinois attractive nuisance doctrine applies broadly to open structures that invite entry.
Don't wait. Call Allied Emergency Services right now at (800) 792-0212 — our Des Plaines-area crews are on standby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.
Des Plaines is one of Cook County's most dynamic suburban cities, home to approximately 58,000 residents spread across a diverse mix of neighborhoods, commercial districts, and industrial zones. The city's geography — bisected by the Des Plaines River and sitting at the convergence of I-90, I-294, and I-190 near O'Hare International Airport — creates a distinct microclimate that funnels lake-effect weather systems and severe thunderstorm cells with regularity. Neighborhoods like Prairie Lakes, Orchard Place, South Des Plaines, and the River Road corridor each present unique property profiles, from postwar ranch homes to modern condominium developments and mixed-use commercial blocks.
The city's older housing stock — particularly homes built in the 1950s through 1970s along Algonquin Road, Elmhurst Road, and the east side near Oakton Street — features wood-frame construction that is especially vulnerable to storm damage. Aging rooflines, single-pane windows, and deteriorating seals mean that even a moderate hail or wind event can produce significant structural openings requiring immediate board-up. Meanwhile, the commercial corridors along Lee Street, Mannheim Road, and downtown Miner Street feature large-format glass storefronts that are susceptible to break-in, vandalism, and storm-driven projectile damage.
Des Plaines is also home to Resurrection Medical Center's campus, Maine East and Maine West High Schools, Maryhill Cemetery, and Lake Park — all landmarks in a community where property protection is taken seriously. Allied Emergency Services has worked throughout the Des Plaines community and understands the city's permit processes, building department requirements, and the fastest routes to your property regardless of time of day or traffic conditions on Rand Road or Touhy Avenue.
No matter what caused the damage, Allied Emergency Services has the equipment, trained crews, and experience to secure your property fast. Here's what we do.
Hailstorms, high winds, tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms are a recurring reality in Des Plaines and the greater Chicago northwest suburbs. When a storm blows out windows, strips away roof sections, or sends a tree limb through a wall, Allied Emergency Services mobilizes immediately to secure every opening before additional weather enters the structure. Our crews work in active weather conditions using professional-grade equipment and materials rated for exterior exposure.
After a house fire or commercial fire in Des Plaines, the structure must be secured before the fire investigation wraps up and certainly before insurance adjusters arrive. Smoke and fire-compromised windows and doors are immediately vulnerable to weather intrusion and theft — fire-damaged properties are frequently targeted by opportunists who know the property is distressed and potentially unoccupied. Our post-fire board-up services protect the remaining salvageable structure while the claims and restoration process begins.
A break-in or act of vandalism leaves your Des Plaines property exposed on multiple levels — physically open to weather and re-entry, and psychologically unsettling for occupants or neighbors. Whether the point of entry was a kicked-in door, a smashed window, or a compromised rear entry, Allied Emergency Services provides rapid same-day board-up service to restore physical security and help document the intrusion for police and insurance purposes.
Des Plaines has a robust commercial economy with active retail, restaurant, and service businesses operating along Miner Street in the downtown core, as well as on Mannheim Road, Rand Road, and Elmhurst Road. When a commercial property sustains damage — whether from a storm, a vehicle collision, a smash-and-grab, or a fire — the business faces dual pressure: secure the property immediately and get back to operation as fast as possible. Allied Emergency Services understands commercial urgency and responds accordingly.
Des Plaines and the northwest Chicago suburbs sit in one of the most storm-active corridors in the Midwest. Understanding the region's weather history helps property owners recognize why rapid emergency board-up is so critical here.
The Chicago region's peak severe weather season runs from June through August, when warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico collides with cold frontal systems dropping out of Canada. Des Plaines, positioned just northwest of the urban heat island effect created by the city of Chicago, regularly experiences enhanced storm intensity during these months. Supercell thunderstorms capable of producing large hail (1 inch or larger), straight-line winds exceeding 70 mph, and brief tornado touchdowns are not rare events — they are seasonal expectations. Every major summer storm season brings multiple episodes of broken windows, torn-off shingles, and structural roof damage across Des Plaines neighborhoods.
Spring in the Chicago northwest suburbs is prime hail season. Cold air aloft meeting rapidly warming surface temperatures creates the atmospheric instability that generates hail-producing thunderstorms. Des Plaines has experienced multiple significant hail events in recent years, with stone sizes ranging from quarter-size to baseball-size in the most severe cases. Hail damage at these sizes produces immediate structural openings: punched-through skylights, shattered single-pane windows, cracked glass block, and compromised roof vents all require same-day emergency board-up to prevent water infiltration before permanent repairs can be scheduled.
Winter in Des Plaines is not just about snow. Ice storms, freezing rain events, and polar vortex-driven temperature crashes from November through March create a separate category of emergency board-up situations. Ice accumulation on tree limbs causes large-scale branch failures that crash through roofs and windows. High-wind events accompanying nor'easters and Alberta Clippers drive wind chills well below zero and can strip roofing materials and siding panels from structures in minutes. A winter board-up situation is among the most urgent scenarios Allied Emergency Services handles — an open structure in sub-freezing temperatures begins accumulating ice and freeze-thaw damage within hours, rapidly escalating the restoration cost.
Des Plaines sits directly adjacent to O'Hare International Airport, one of the busiest airspace corridors in the world. The flat, open terrain around O'Hare creates ideal conditions for microburst events — concentrated downburst winds that can exceed 100 mph in a localized area. These events are difficult to forecast with precision and can devastate a single neighborhood while leaving adjacent streets untouched. The Des Plaines River valley also channels and accelerates wind flows during severe weather, creating localized damage corridors that require immediate emergency response regardless of the broader regional storm severity.
When storm damage strikes your Des Plaines property, the instinct to grab a sheet of plywood and a hammer is understandable. But DIY board-up consistently falls short of what insurance adjusters, building inspectors, and experienced contractors consider adequate property protection — and the difference often shows up as denied coverage or compounded damage costs down the road.
Professional board-up uses materials specifically rated for exterior structural exposure: heavy-gauge plywood sized and cut to match the exact opening dimensions, secured with fastening systems that don't damage the surrounding window frame, brick mold, or door jamb. Frame damage caused by improper DIY fastening is not typically covered as part of the original storm damage claim — it becomes an out-of-pocket repair. Allied Emergency Services crews are trained to secure openings without creating secondary damage, preserving the integrity of the surrounding structure and protecting the full scope of your insurance claim.
Roof tarping is arguably the most dangerous DIY temptation. Accessing a storm-damaged roof — which may have compromised decking, wet shingles, debris, and unstable sections — without proper fall protection equipment and training is a leading cause of serious injury. Our crews are OSHA-certified and equipped with harnesses, anchor systems, and appropriate ladders for every roof access situation. We tarp roofs safely, securely, and in a configuration that holds through additional weather events while permanent repairs are arranged.
Insurance-grade documentation is another area where professional board-up pays for itself. Our crews photograph every opening before and after securing, document material specifications, and produce written scopes that match the format insurance adjusters expect. This documentation directly supports your claim and reduces the back-and-forth that delays claim processing. For commercial storefronts along Des Plaines' business corridors, code compliance is an additional factor — certain securing methods are required by municipal code, and non-compliant DIY board-up can trigger building department notices that complicate the restoration timeline.
Follow these steps to stay safe and protect your claim:
Our crew will take it from there. We handle the documentation, the securing, and the coordination with your insurance company so you can focus on your family or business.
Allied Emergency Services doesn't just board up and walk away. We guide Des Plaines property owners through every phase of the recovery process, from the first emergency call to the final walkthrough after permanent repairs are complete.
You call (800) 792-0212 and reach a live dispatcher — not a voicemail — any hour of the day or night. We dispatch a crew to your Des Plaines address immediately, with a 1-hour response target. Upon arrival, our team performs a rapid safety assessment of the structure, identifies all active openings, and begins securing them in priority order — roof first if active weather is present, then windows, then doors and secondary openings. Emergency roof tarps are installed using batten board systems that hold through subsequent weather events. All openings are boarded to a standard that meets insurance documentation requirements. Before we leave, you receive a job summary and know exactly what was done and why.
Our documentation process is built around what insurance adjusters need to process claims efficiently and what property owners need to protect their interests. We photograph every opening before and after securing — with timestamps, GPS data, and measurement references. We produce a written scope of work that itemizes each secured opening, the materials used, dimensions, and fastening method. For storm damage, we note hail size indicators, wind direction markers, and impact patterns that help establish causation. For fire damage, we coordinate with fire investigators to ensure our documentation doesn't interfere with the investigation while still protecting the structure. All documentation is provided to you digitally within 24 hours of the emergency response, in a format ready for submission to your insurance company.
Once your claim is open, Allied Emergency Services works alongside your insurance adjuster to support the claims process. We provide supplemental documentation upon request, make the property available for adjuster inspections, and respond to requests for additional information or scope clarification. We have experience working with all major insurance carriers operating in the Illinois market and understand the documentation standards and scope formats that facilitate smooth claim processing. We are restoration contractors — we document damage and perform repairs. We do not adjust claims, negotiate settlements, or act as public adjusters. Your adjuster determines coverage; we perform the approved restoration work.
With insurance approval in hand, Allied Emergency Services transitions from emergency board-up to permanent restoration. This phase covers the full scope of storm, fire, or water damage repair: window replacement, door installation, roof repair or replacement, siding repair, soffit and fascia restoration, interior water damage remediation, drywall repair, and painting. We manage material procurement, permitting with the City of Des Plaines Building Department, and subcontractor coordination where applicable. Our goal is to restore your property to its pre-loss condition — or better, where code-required upgrades apply — with the least possible disruption to your household or business operations. We keep you informed at every stage with a dedicated project contact.
Every Allied Emergency Services restoration job in Des Plaines concludes with a formal final walkthrough conducted with the property owner or authorized representative. We go through every repaired area, confirm that all work matches the approved scope, address any punchlist items, and obtain your sign-off. We provide final documentation including warranty information for materials and workmanship. If your insurer requires a final inspection or photo documentation of completed repairs, we produce that package as well. Our job is not done until you are fully satisfied that your property has been restored to the standard you deserve — and the board-up boards are long gone, replaced by permanent, professionally installed windows, doors, and roofing.
Important Notice: Allied Emergency Services is a licensed restoration contractor, not an insurance adjuster or public adjuster. We document damage and perform restoration repairs. We do not adjust, negotiate, or settle insurance claims on your behalf. All insurance coverage determinations are made by your insurer and their authorized adjusters.
A severe storm took out three windows on the back of our house near Prairie Lakes at 11 PM on a Tuesday. Allied had a crew here within 45 minutes and boarded everything up before midnight. The documentation they provided was exactly what my insurance adjuster asked for — the whole process was seamless from emergency call to permanent window replacement.
We had a break-in at our storefront on Lee Street — smashed front glass on a Friday night. Allied showed up within an hour, boarded the entire front facade, and gave us a police-report-ready documentation package. We were back in business Monday morning with a new glass front. Professional, fast, and they treated our business like it was their own.
After a chimney fire damaged our roof and attic, Allied came out same night and tarped the entire affected roof section. The tarp held through two more rainstorms before the permanent repair crew could get in. They handled all the coordination with our insurer and the whole restoration was approved and completed within six weeks. Couldn't have asked for better service in a really stressful situation.
Reviews represent typical customer experiences.
Our target response time for emergency board-up in Des Plaines is 1 hour from your call. Des Plaines is located 17 miles northwest of Chicago along I-90 and I-294, well within our rapid-deployment zone. We maintain crews staged throughout Chicagoland around the clock. During major regional weather events, response times can extend due to simultaneous calls, but we always dispatch in priority order based on active structural exposure and safety risk. Call (800) 792-0212 any time — a live dispatcher answers 24/7.
Most Illinois homeowners and commercial property policies include a duty-to-mitigate clause that requires policyholders to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage after a covered loss. If your property has a structural opening — broken window, missing roof section, compromised door — and you fail to board it up, your insurer can deny or reduce the portion of your claim covering subsequent water, theft, vandalism, or weather damage. Emergency board-up is typically the most important mitigation action after a structural opening occurs, and the cost is generally reimbursable as a covered mitigation expense under most policies.
In the majority of cases, yes — when the underlying damage event is a covered peril (storm, hail, wind, fire, vandalism), emergency board-up costs are reimbursable under your policy's mitigation expense provision. Allied Emergency Services provides insurance-grade documentation — photos, itemized invoices, written scope — to support your submission. We work directly with most major insurers in the Illinois market. Note: Allied is a restoration contractor, not an insurance adjuster. Coverage determinations are made by your insurer.
Emergency board-up is temporary protection, typically lasting days to a few weeks while your insurance claim processes and permanent repair scheduling is arranged. Allied Emergency Services provides a seamless path from board-up to full restoration — window replacement, door installation, roof repair, interior water remediation — so the boards come down as each permanent repair is completed. We coordinate with your adjuster and keep the timeline moving.
Yes. We hold Illinois Roofing Contractor License #104.019029 (active through 12/31/2027), IICRC Firm Certification #70133670, EPA Lead-Safe Certification, and full general liability and workers' compensation insurance. Our crews are OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 certified. We are fully qualified for emergency board-up, roof tarping, and complete property restoration in Des Plaines and throughout Cook County.
Dial (800) 792-0212 and a live dispatcher answers immediately, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. No voicemail. No callback queues. You speak to a real person who captures your address, the nature of the damage, and any immediate safety concerns.
We immediately dispatch the nearest available crew to your Des Plaines location. You receive a confirmation with the crew's estimated arrival time. Our vehicles are fully stocked with plywood, tarps, fastening systems, ladders, and safety equipment for all board-up scenarios.
On arrival, our crew lead performs a rapid structural safety assessment before work begins. We identify all openings, evaluate the safest access points, and communicate the plan to you before starting. Unstable structures are flagged and addressed appropriately.
We board up every opening systematically — priority order based on exposure risk. Roofs get tarped with batten board systems. Windows and doors get appropriately sized plywood secured without frame damage. Every opening is photographed before and after.
You receive a complete digital documentation package: timestamped photos, written scope of work, material specifications, and a signed job summary. This goes directly to your insurance company to initiate or support your claim. We are available to speak with your adjuster directly.
Our team responds within 1 hour — don't let damage get worse.
Allied Emergency Services provides emergency board-up throughout Des Plaines and all surrounding Cook County and northwest suburban communities. We serve every Des Plaines neighborhood and ZIP code, including 60016 and 60018.
Allied Emergency Services provides emergency board-up and storm damage restoration throughout the greater Midwest. Find your community below.
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