Flood damage restoration for Burbank homes in Los Angeles County

Flood damage restoration in Burbank homes

Burbank carries more inland flood risk than the county around it. FEMA's National Risk Index puts yearly inland flood loss here at $208 per $100,000 of building value. The county figure is $164, and California's is $149. Rain is rare, with 5 days a year of an inch or more. That means when a heavy storm does arrive, runoff moves fast. It finds low entries such as garage doors, basement stairwells and ground-floor units.

The housing makes flood damage restoration here slower than the rain totals suggest. Census figures show 35% of Burbank homes were built before 1950 and 73% before 1980. Older houses often have raised wood floors over crawl spaces, plaster walls and original hardwood, and those materials hold water differently than newer drywall. With 40% of homes in buildings of 5 or more units and 57% rented, a ground-floor flood usually involves a landlord. It may reach the shared parking level too.

On the first visit, the crew checks where the water entered, how high it rose and whether it carried soil or sewage. Storm runoff is usually treated as Category 3, so wet carpet, pad and the lower part of drywall are often removed rather than dried. Ask what category the crew assigned and which materials will come out. Find out what moisture readings they will take each day until the framing is dry. Get the written estimate before any work starts. Insurance is the other question. Only 0.5% of Los Angeles County homes carry federal flood insurance. Homeowners policies usually exclude outside flood water, so check your own policy first. If floor drains backed up, sewage cleanup may fall under a separate part of the policy. The same questions apply to flood damage restoration in Van Nuys.