When Flood Water Is an Emergency
Flood damage restoration is the cleanup, removal and drying of a building after storm runoff, ground water or sewage has come inside. Floodwater is treated as contaminated, so the first minutes call for caution more than speed. Our line is open 24/7. While you wait, stay out of the water, keep children and pets away, and lift what you can above the wet line.
Shut off the main water valve only if the leak is from your own plumbing. The breaker panel is off limits if you would have to stand in water to touch it, and in that case 911 or your utility comes before anything else. We serve ZIP 91335 and nearby neighborhoods.
Flood Risk Near Reseda: What Is Verified
Reseda is one of six communities that border the Sepulveda Basin, per the Army Corps master plan. The Basin and Sepulveda Dam are flood-risk-management infrastructure on the Los Angeles River. The Corps describes the dam as a single-purpose flood control project that stores upstream runoff and releases it at a rate the downstream channel can carry, working alongside Hansen and Lopez dams.
That infrastructure is no reason to assume your own block is safe, or at risk. Look up your own address.
Rain is seasonal. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for Van Nuys Airport give 13.42 inches a year, and the December through March months make up about 10.99 of them. January normally brings 2.75 inches and February 3.79. Between June and September the monthly average stays at 0.12 inches or less. Plan gutter, drain and sandbag work for the wet months.
Floodwater inside the house?
Keep everyone out of the water, stay away from electrical equipment and call the 24/7 line. We will walk you through the next steps.
Look Up Your Flood Zone, Do Not Guess It
No official source we reviewed names a flood zone for Reseda as a whole, so we do not claim one. The FEMA Flood Map Service Center lets you search by address and returns the map number, the effective date and a printable FIRMette. The City Bureau of Engineering floodplain page and the LA County Flood Zone Determination site cover the same question. For city information, dial 311.
There is a repair-cost angle too. An LADBS flood hazard bulletin says repair or improvement work costing 50 percent or more of a structure's market value in a flood hazard area counts as substantial improvement and requires full compliance. If your lookup puts you inside one, ask the building department before you rebuild.
Basement Flooding Cleanup
Many Reseda properties have no basement at all, so this section applies only if yours does. It also applies to other low spaces: a sunken garage, a utility room below the yard line or a crawl space under the floor.
Below-grade water is usually groundwater or storm runoff, which counts as Category 3 once it has soaked into building materials. Pumps remove it, and when soil outside is saturated we remove it in stages, since pulling it all out at once can stress the walls.
Then flood cuts take out wet drywall, usually up to a line above the highest wetting. Carpet, pad and insulation are discarded. Concrete, framing and surviving materials are cleaned, sanitized and dried with air movers and LGR dehumidifiers.
One honest limit: restoration is not waterproofing. We remove water damage, but we do not seal foundations or install drainage. For that you want a waterproofing or drainage contractor, and a cleanup that comes first so the new work is not built over wet materials.
Sewage Backup Cleanup
Sewage safety: treat it as hazardous
Do not touch sewage with bare skin, run fans through it, or wade in to save belongings. Stay out of rooms with raw sewage and keep children and pets away. Stop using toilets, sinks, tubs and washers, since every flush or drain adds to the backup.
LA Sanitation and Environment lists 1-800-773-2489 as its 24-hour customer care line. Call it to report a backup, and ask whether the blockage is in the city main. The EPA advises hiring a professional for sewage or other contaminated water damage.
Our crews wear protective gear, set containment to keep contamination from spreading, and remove porous materials such as carpet, pad, baseboard and wet drywall. The EPA notes that porous items like carpet and ceiling tiles may need to be discarded after flooding. Surfaces that stay are cleaned, treated with a disinfectant and dried.
A plumber clears the blockage itself. Make that call early, and ask them to note where it occurred, because it may matter for your claim.
What Gets Saved and What Gets Removed
| Material | After clean water | After flood or sewage water |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet and pad | Pad usually replaced, carpet often dried | Both removed |
| Drywall and insulation | May dry in place if caught early | Cut out and discarded |
| Hardwood and laminate | Dried and assessed | Usually removed, solid wood judged by readings |
| Concrete and tile | Dried | Cleaned, disinfected and dried |
| Wood framing | Dried | Cleaned, dried and checked with a meter |
| Upholstery and mattresses | Often dried and cleaned | Typically discarded |
What Drives the Cost of a Flood Cleanup
Category of water
Storm or sewage water means protective equipment, disinfecting and more removal.
Depth and spread
Water that stayed in one room differs from water that reached walls and rooms beside it.
Porous materials affected
Carpet, pad, insulation and drywall that cannot be saved add demolition and disposal.
Time before drying began
Wet materials that sit longer usually need more removal and a longer drying period.
Rebuild afterward
Restoration is often followed by repair work, which is scoped separately.
We explain the scope and how the price is set before work begins. For your own figure, call the 24/7 line and describe what the water reached.
Flood Coverage and Your Policy
California's Department of Insurance says flood losses are generally not covered by homeowners or renters policies, and lists flood among standard exclusions. A sewer or drain backup is a different question, and it depends on whether your policy includes water backup coverage. LA County storm guidance notes most flood policies carry a 30-day waiting period, so a policy bought during a storm will not help.
Flood and insurance: read your policy
Flood is usually excluded from standard policies and needs separate coverage, such as a National Flood Insurance Program policy. Check your policy or ask your insurer which kind of water applies. We document the loss with photos, readings and drying logs for your claim file.
Drying and Mold Control After a Flood
The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. After removal, crews place air movers and dehumidifiers, take daily readings and keep a drying log until the materials reach dry standards. See water mitigation for how that works. If mold has already started, you will want mold remediation too.
Flood Calls Beyond Reseda
The Sepulveda Basin borders Encino as well as Reseda, so we also respond across Encino, including ZIPs 91316 and 91436. For a flooded property in Reseda or Encino, the first step is the same: call the 24/7 line before you start cleanup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you handle flood damage emergencies at night or on weekends in Reseda?
Yes. The 24/7 line takes calls at night, on weekends and on holidays. Same-day response is offered when available, and no arrival time is promised.
Does my Reseda home have a flood zone?
We do not assign one. Look up your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, or check the LA County flood zone tool. Dial 311 for city information.
What should I do first if sewage backs up?
Stay out, keep people and pets away, and stop using drains. Call LA Sanitation and Environment's 24-hour customer care line, then a plumber for the blockage, then our line for the cleanup.
Is a basement flood covered by regular homeowners insurance?
Flood is commonly excluded and needs separate flood coverage. Backup of drains or sewers is a different category. Check your policy or ask your insurer.
Do you waterproof basements?
No. Restoration removes water damage and dries the structure. Sealing foundations or installing drainage is waterproofing and belongs to a different trade.
Can I clean up floodwater myself?
Small clean-water spills, yes. Floodwater and sewage are different, and the EPA advises hiring a professional for sewage or contaminated water damage.
Water still spreading? Call the 24/7 line at (818) 337-2642.