Storm and flash flood cleanup deals with rain that came in through a door, window, roof or foundation: pump out, dry and remove what cannot be saved. Surface flood water is often contaminated, so it is treated with more caution than a supply-line leak.
Spring storms in north Georgia can drop a month of rain in a day. When rain comes in, it rarely comes in clean: it crosses a yard, a driveway and a street first. That is why storm water is treated as gray at best and black at worst.
Flash flood cleanup in Cobb County
The September 2009 flood is the standard Georgia crews measure against. The NWS recorded a 24-hour rainfall of 21.03 inches in Douglas County and 79 river gauges above flood stage across the state's north. Most Cobb County storms are far smaller than that, but a fast, heavy cell can still put water in a low house in an hour. Flash flooding is faster than river flooding, and it hits lots on low ground first.
Sources: NWS Peachtree City, 2009 flood anniversary.
Rainwater coming in under the door
If water is coming in under a door or through a window, first stop what you can. Towels or sandbags at the threshold slow it. Move rugs, electronics and cardboard boxes off the floor. If water is at outlets, turn off the breaker for that area from a dry spot. Once the rain stops, call us to pump out and dry. A door or window that leaked once will leak again, and the fix is outside our work: weatherstripping, grading or a drainage contractor.
Choose this when
- Rain or flood water in the house.
- A roof leak that soaked a ceiling or attic.
- Water through a basement window or wall.
Not the right fit
- Only a ceiling stain with no water on the floor: ceiling water damage.
- Sewage in the water: sewage backup cleanup.
- Ongoing roof leak: call a roofer first.
What we do in storm flood water removal
We treat the water as contaminated until proven otherwise. That means gloves, boots, and removal of porous materials the water reached. We pump, extract, and then dry. Wet carpet pad goes. Carpet that has been in flood water usually goes. Drywall is cut above the line the water reached, with a margin. Hard surfaces are cleaned and disinfected. Then drying runs, and we check readings daily.
Roof leak after storm
Wind-driven rain can lift shingles and push water behind flashing. It often shows up days later as a ceiling stain, far from the actual leak. If you suspect the roof, have a roofer look first. Meanwhile, if there is a stain, put a bucket under it and relieve a bulge with a small hole. Our ceiling water damage page covers what happens next, and structural drying covers the attic and wall cavities.
What to photograph after the water goes down
Before anything is moved, photograph the water line on walls and furniture, the source of the water if you can see it, and every wet room from two angles. Take a short video walking through the house. Note the date and the time the rain started and stopped. Your insurer will ask for this, and we add our moisture readings to it.
| Water source | Water type | What it means | First call |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof leak, early | Clean to gray | Insulation and drywall often need replacing, framing can be dried | Roofer, then us |
| Rain under a door or window | Gray | Pad and low drywall usually go | Us, then a contractor for the opening |
| Surface flood water | Gray to black | Carpet and low drywall go, hard floors cleaned | Us |
| Creek or river flood | Black | Treat like sewage | Us, and your insurer |
Storm water in the Kennesaw foothills
Kennesaw sits in the foothills of the north Georgia Piedmont with Kennesaw Mountain rising above town. Water runs off the mountain onto the lots below it and toward nearby creek basins such as Noonday Creek. The NWS crest table shows Noonday Creek at Woodstock at 19.66 feet on September 21, 2009, against a flood stage of 10 feet. Houses in low spots and near creeks are the most exposed, and the red clay under them drains slowly, so the water lingers.
Sources: NWS Peachtree City, crest table; Kennesaw Mountain.
After the storm and the usual order
Storm jobs go quickest when the first steps are done in the right order.
Door thresholds
Water pushes under the door when the yard floods.
Windows
Wind-driven rain gets past old seals.
Roof and flashing
A storm-damaged roof lets water in at the ceiling.
Foundation and garage
Water enters at the lowest point of the lot.
Storm water damage cost
| Scope | Planning range, mitigation only |
|---|---|
| 400 sq ft basement, gray storm water, found the next day, carpet out, drywall cut under 2 ft | $2,800–$7,000 |
| Sewage-contaminated flood water, 250 sq ft | $2,450–$5,400 |
| Roof repair, grading, window or door fixes | Not our work; priced by those trades |
Planning ranges, not a quote. A written scope after an on-site look is the only real number. Call (678) 940-0778. The calculator will adjust for your area.
Sources: Angi; Fixr; HomeAdvisor.
Storm cleanup questions
Does insurance cover flood water?
Standard homeowners policies often exclude flood and surface water and cover wind-driven rain through a damaged roof. Flood insurance is a separate policy. Check yours.
Is it safe to walk in the water?
Not if you can avoid it. Flood water can carry contamination and hide electrical hazards.
Can I keep my carpet?
After surface flood water, usually no. After rain through a leak that was clean, sometimes.
How fast should I act?
As soon as it is safe. Drywall and carpet begin to grow mold within a couple of days.
Related services
Water on the floor right now? Call us. (678) 940-0778