Water Damage Restoration
Extraction, structural drying and moisture verification after burst pipes, appliance failures and basement flooding.
Learn more →Flood means something specific
In insurance and restoration language, a flood is water that reaches your property across the ground surface. A burst pipe is not a flood, even if there is a foot of water in the basement. That distinction determines both how the cleanup is done and who pays for it.
Colorado floods come from four sources. Spring snowmelt raises the water table and pushes groundwater against foundations from March through May, which is covered in more detail in our snowmelt flooding guide. Monsoon thunderstorms in July and August drop intense short-duration rain that overwhelms storm drains. Creek and river overtopping — the September 2013 Front Range event remains the reference case, with the St. Vrain, Boulder Creek, Left Hand Creek and the Big Thompson all far out of bank. And surcharged sewers, where storm volume backs sanitary lines into basements, which is sewage cleanup territory.
Why it is handled as Category 3
Ground-surface water is classified Category 3 by default. It has run across lawns treated with fertilizer and pesticide, across roads carrying oil and heavy metals, past animal waste, and frequently mixed with sanitary sewage along the way. It looks like muddy water. It is not.
That classification changes the entire scope. Porous materials are not dried, they are removed and disposed of. Crews work in PPE with containment established between the affected zone and the rest of the building. Antimicrobial treatment is mandatory. Contents are triaged into cleanable and non-cleanable, and the non-cleanable pile is larger than people expect.
The sequence
Water is pumped out, mud and silt are removed mechanically before they dry into place, and porous material comes out — carpet and pad, drywall cut to a line above the high-water mark, wet insulation, and anything made of particleboard. Hard surfaces are cleaned and disinfected. Only then does structural drying start, with daily moisture readings on the framing and subfloor that remain.
Rebuild follows once readings hit dry standard. In a repeat-flood property it is worth rebuilding differently: closed-cell insulation instead of fiberglass, tile or sealed concrete instead of carpet, and a raised mechanical platform for the furnace and water heater.
Coverage, honestly
This is the part that catches people. A standard homeowners policy excludes flood. If water entered from the ground, the claim usually goes to an NFIP or private flood policy, and if you do not have one, it does not go anywhere. NFIP policies also carry a waiting period, typically 30 days, so buying one because the forecast looks bad does not help this spring.
Sewer and drain backup is a separate endorsement again, and a cheap one. Most Colorado homeowners do not have it. Our insurance claims guide sets out which policy handles which water source.
Related: storm and flood cleanup for storm-driven events, and disaster cleanup for large or multi-building losses.
More services
Explore our other services
Fire & Smoke Damage
Soot removal, odor control and cleanup of the firefighting water that usually does more damage than the flames.
Learn more →Mold Remediation
Containment, removal and moisture-source correction when water sat long enough for mold to take hold.
Learn more →Storm & Hail Damage
Roof tarping, water intrusion cleanup and documentation after Front Range hail and wind events.
Learn more →Sewage Cleanup
Category 3 backups handled with containment, full removal of porous materials and disinfection.
Learn more →Structural Drying
Air movers, dehumidifiers and daily moisture readings until framing, subfloor and drywall hit dry standard.
Learn more →
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Why is floodwater treated as contaminated?
Because of what it travels through before it reaches you. Surface water picks up fertilizer and pesticide from lawns, oil and metals from roads, animal waste, and whatever a surcharged sanitary sewer has contributed. The IICRC classifies it as Category 3 regardless of how clean it looks.
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding?
Almost never. Standard policies exclude flood, which means water that reaches the property from the ground surface. That coverage comes from a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy or a private flood policy, and NFIP policies generally have a 30-day waiting period before they take effect.
What has to be thrown out after a flood?
Carpet and pad, drywall to at least 12 to 24 inches above the high-water line, wet insulation, particleboard and MDF furniture and cabinetry, mattresses and upholstered furniture, and porous food packaging. Sealed hard surfaces, solid wood and metal can usually be cleaned and disinfected.
Can I clean it myself?
Small, shallow, short-duration intrusions on hard surfaces, with full PPE, sometimes. A finished basement that took ground water, no. The combination of contamination, the volume of porous material involved, and the drying verification required puts it beyond household equipment.
Free, no-obligation