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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

When Pipes Leak Who Helps Waterbury Residents with Water Removal?

2/10/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO equipment at work. Plumbing leaks can be very destructive to a home. When it occurs you need the professional help of SERVPRO and their IICRC certified technicians.

Solutions after plumbing fails - why SERVPRO leads the industry.

Before colonization, the general area now called Waterbury was home to Indigenous Peoples with Algonquin origins. After changes occasioned by King Philip's War, the fledgling town relocated to the east of its original space to the Mad River banks. The Algonquin name was "Matetacoke," translated to "the interval lands." Its Anglicised name became "Mattatuck." When admitted to the Connecticut Colony in 1686, another name change, this time to Waterbury, reflected the many waterways, including the Mad River, emptying into the Naugatuck from both sides of the valley. The settlement was slow to expand until the brass industry took advantage of its water power.

Was Brass Milling and Manufacture a Lucrative Industry for Waterbury?

By the time Waterbury incorporated in 1853, the city was known as the "Brass Capital of the World." The high quality and durability of the brass manufactured in the city helped build a solid reputation for the firms milling and rolling the composite metal. Brass and copper from Waterbury reached many areas of the United States, including Nevada's Boulder Dam.

What Were the Most Common Goods Manufactured by the Brass Companies Congregating in Waterbury?

At first, brass manufacturers produced buttons and clocks. The land around the city was ill-suited to farming, and the brass cottage industry was an alternative to agriculture. Brothers Abel and Levi Porter moved to Waterbury and joined pewter button makers Henry, Silas, and Samuel Grilley in 1802 as Abel Porter and Company. Using a direct fusion process to join zinc and copper to create the metal, they opened the first rolling brass mill in the nation using Naugatuck and Mad Rivers' strength. High demand for military notions and medals encouraged the company to start with buttons, particularly uniform buttons. Still, over the next century, they and other companies branched out to make various metal items focusing on brass and later copper:

  • Novelties
  • Decorative accessories and tableware
  • Sheet brass
  • German silver
  • Brass and copper wire 
  • Brass tubing
  • Copper pipe
  • Plumbing supplies

What Happened to the Brass and Copper Industry in Waterbury?

During World War II, the US government was on a desperate search for war materials, and the city produced shell and gun casings. Eventually, Chase Brass and Copper Company, LLC, the last prominent Waterbury brass working company, moved to Montpelier, Ohio, after the war-time demand relented.

Why Does SERVPRO Top the List for Help When Old or Failing Plumbing Leaks?

Complete water removal in Waterbury requires an investment in training and an extensive inventory of specialized equipment to rid homes of standing fluids and lingering moisture. Dedication to industry best practices is why SERVPRO acquires the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) for all workers. Our fleet of service vehicles delivers the following crucial machinery to every water emergency project:

  • Submersible pumps
  • Truck-mounted and portable extractors
  • Air movers
  • Heaters
  • Dehumidifiers 

Although it is unlikely today that antique plumbing fittings from the "Brass Capital of the World" cause water removal urgency, the ability to manage even that scenario is why SERVPRO of Waterbury should be your first call. Reach us at (203) 757-5050.

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