Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the Lehigh Valley, and one of the most damaging to homes. The Lehigh River and its tributaries have flooded repeatedly, and the region’s topography funnels significant runoff into low-lying neighborhoods during major rain events. Knowing what to do in the hours and days immediately after a flood can limit the damage, protect your insurance claim, and get your family back into a safe home as quickly as possible.
Here is what to do, in order, starting the moment the water recedes. Some of it is uncomfortable. Do it anyway.
Before Re-Entering: Safety Checks
Structural Safety
don’t enter a flooded home until the structure has been cleared as safe. Floodwaters compromise foundations, weaken walls, and damage floor systems in ways that may not be visible from the exterior. If your home has experienced significant flooding, water above the floor level, or floodwaters that remained for more than a few hours, have a licensed contractor or building inspector assess structural integrity before you go inside.
If your home sits on a crawl space or basement foundation and the crawl space or basement flooded, the hydrostatic pressure of water against the foundation walls may have caused cracking, bowing, or settlement. This requires professional evaluation before the structure is loaded with the weight of occupants moving through it.
Utility Shutoffs
Before entering, confirm the following:
- Electricity: If water reached your electrical panel or any outlets and switches, the power must be off at the main breaker before entry. Don’t turn power back on yourself, have a licensed electrician inspect the system first. In the Lehigh Valley, contact PPL Electric for utility-side disconnection assistance.
- Gas: If you smell gas or suspect flooding reached your gas appliances or meter, don’t enter. Call PECO (Peoples Natural Gas) or 911 from outside. Don’t operate any switches or phones inside the structure until the gas situation is resolved.
- Water supply: Shut off the main water supply to prevent a compromised water line from adding to the damage.
Contamination Hazard
Floodwater in the Lehigh Valley is almost never clean water. Storm runoff picks up sewage, pesticides, motor oil, animal waste, and industrial runoff as it moves across the landscape and through storm drains. Basement flooding from a backed-up sewer lateral is Category 3, black water, and requires treatment as a hazardous material event. Wear protective equipment (rubber boots, gloves, N95 or higher mask) any time you enter a flooded space, and assume all surfaces that contacted floodwater are contaminated.
Document Before You Touch Anything
Photograph and Video Everything
Before any water is removed, before any items are moved, before anything is thrown away, document the damage. Walk through every flooded room and record it on video. Photograph water lines on walls, damaged flooring, furniture, appliances, HVAC equipment, and personal belongings. Capture the exterior, foundation, window wells, basement entry points, grading around the house. Get the utility area, water heater, furnace, electrical panel, sump pump.
This documentation is your flood claim. Adjusters value claims based on documented evidence. Items removed or discarded before documentation are substantially harder to claim, and some adjusters will deny them outright without photographic evidence of the damage.
Document Structural Water Lines
Measure the height of the water line from the floor on multiple walls throughout the flooded area. Mark these measurements on a piece of paper and photograph it in context with the wall. Water line height determines the scope of damage to drywall, insulation, and mechanical systems, and is a key data point for both your restoration contractor and your adjuster.
Notify Your Insurance Company
Homeowners vs. Flood Insurance
The first question after a Lehigh Valley flood is often: which policy covers this? The answer depends on how the water entered your home.
Standard homeowners insurance (HO-3): Covers sudden and accidental water damage from internal sources, a burst pipe, an overflowing washing machine, an ice dam, a roof leak from a storm. doesn’t cover flooding, water that enters the home from the ground surface or via overflowing rivers, lakes, or storm drains.
NFIP flood insurance: Covers flooding, water from ground surface inundation, river overflow, storm surge, and blocked storm drain overflow. doesn’t cover water damage from internal sources (that is the homeowners policy’s job). Also doesn’t cover temporary housing expenses (no equivalent of ALE coverage).
Sewer backup endorsement: If you carry a sewer backup endorsement on your homeowners policy, it covers damage from water backing up through a sewer lateral or drain. This is separate from both flooding and the standard homeowners policy.
Many Lehigh Valley flood events involve both flood water from outside and sewage backup from overwhelmed sewer systems, meaning you may have claims under multiple policies simultaneously. Notify all applicable carriers.
Document the Flood Cause
For insurance purposes, document and preserve evidence of how the water entered. Photographs of your backyard, street, or surrounding area showing flood conditions during the event are valuable. Check local news archives and the National Weather Service for rainfall records and any issued flood warnings for your area on the date of the event. If Northampton County or Lehigh County issued a disaster declaration for the flood, note the declaration number, it may be relevant to FEMA assistance eligibility.
Water Removal: Act Within 24–48 Hours
Why Speed Matters
Mold can begin growing in a flooded structure within 24–48 hours under the right conditions, and Lehigh Valley summers provide exactly those conditions. Standing water in a basement or first floor combined with warm air temperatures creates the perfect mold incubation environment. Every hour that water sits in your home is an hour of structural absorption, wood framing, subfloor, drywall, and insulation all absorb water and become harder and more expensive to dry as saturation increases.
If water removal can’t begin within 24 hours, you are accumulating secondary damage beyond the initial flood event. The initial flood was the emergency, but the secondary damage from delayed drying is where the majority of long-term structural problems originate.
Pump Out Standing Water
For several inches of standing water in a basement, a submersible pump is the starting point. Rental units are available from most Lehigh Valley hardware stores. Professional water extraction equipment moves significantly more volume and reaches into floor cavities and under cabinetry that a simple pump can’t reach, if you have significant flooding, professional extraction will be faster and more thorough.
don’t pump a basement dry too quickly if the surrounding soil is still saturated. Hydrostatic pressure from waterlogged soil against a basement wall that no longer has water pressure on the inside face can crack or collapse the wall. If your basement flooded and the surrounding ground is still saturated, pump in stages, reduce the level by 1–2 feet and wait several hours before pumping further.
Extract Moisture From Structure
After standing water is removed, the structure itself is saturated. Wall cavities hold water behind intact drywall. Subfloor absorbs water from above. Concrete slabs and foundation walls wick moisture. Industrial dehumidification equipment, typically 100–200 pint/day commercial units, not residential dehumidifiers, is required to bring structural moisture readings down to acceptable levels. Air movers and careful demolition of lower portions of drywall (flood cuts) allow air circulation into wall cavities.
Professional restoration crews use moisture meters and thermal imaging to track drying progress and verify that wall cavities are fully dry before any reconstruction begins. Sealing wet wall cavities with new drywall is the leading cause of mold problems that appear months after a flood when the homeowner thought everything was fine.
What Gets Discarded and What Gets Saved
Category 3 Contaminated Materials
Any porous material that contacted flood water or sewage backup must be removed and discarded, not dried in place. This includes:
- Drywall that was wetted below the water line (non-negotiable for Cat 3 flooding)
- Fiberglass batt insulation, it can’t be effectively dried or decontaminated
- Carpet and carpet padding, virtually impossible to decontaminate after sewage exposure
- Upholstered furniture that contacted flood water
- Mattresses
- Particleboard and OSB materials that swelled with moisture
What Can Often Be Saved
- Solid wood furniture, can often be cleaned and dried if treated promptly
- Hard flooring (tile, luxury vinyl plank), if the subfloor beneath is dried properly
- Metal appliances with waterproof motors, assess on a case-by-case basis; electrical components require inspection
- Concrete and masonry, porous but cleanable and drainable
- Solid wood framing, can be cleaned, treated with antimicrobial solution, and dried; doesn’t need replacement unless structurally compromised
When in doubt, discard and replace. The cost of replacing drywall and insulation is modest compared to the cost of treating mold in a sealed wall cavity six months later.
Mold Prevention After Flooding
The Window Is Short
Mold prevention after a flood isn’t about avoiding mold forever, it is about acting quickly enough that mold doesn’t establish before the structure is dried. In summer conditions in the Lehigh Valley (80°F+, 70%+ humidity), visible mold can appear within 48–72 hours on wet drywall and insulation. In cooler conditions, the window is slightly longer, but the 24–48 hour threshold is the standard professional benchmark.
Run dehumidification continuously. Open windows when outdoor humidity is lower than indoor humidity (typically during daytime in Pennsylvania summers, not overnight when humidity rises). Apply EPA-registered antimicrobial solutions to cleaned structural surfaces before closing up walls.
don’t Seal Wet Cavities
This is the most common and most costly mistake after flood restoration. Homeowners, or budget contractors, remove visibly wet drywall and insulation, assume the wall cavity looks dry enough, and install new drywall over the top. Moisture that remains in the framing, behind the vapor barrier, or under the subfloor then creates mold that grows invisibly behind the new drywall. This mold is typically discovered months or years later, when it has spread throughout the wall assembly, and requires a full re-demo of the work just done.
Verify structural moisture readings with a meter before closing up any wall cavity. A reading of 19% or below in wood framing is the industry benchmark for dry-to-rebuild.
FEMA Assistance and Pennsylvania Flood Resources
When Federal Disaster Assistance Applies
If the President declares a major disaster for Northampton County or Lehigh County following a flood event, Lehigh Valley homeowners may be eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance. This can provide grants for temporary housing, essential home repairs, and uninsured losses. Visit disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362 to apply. Apply as soon as the registration period opens, there are deadlines, and processing takes time.
FEMA assistance isn’t a substitute for flood insurance and won’t cover the full cost of a major flood restoration. It provides limited assistance for those without coverage or with coverage gaps. If you are in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and have a federally backed mortgage, flood insurance is already required. If you are outside the SFHA and haven’t purchased flood insurance, this event is the time to consider it, NFIP policies have a 30-day waiting period from purchase to coverage.
Pennsylvania Emergency Resources
- Lehigh County Emergency Management: (610) 782-3943
- Northampton County Emergency Management: (610) 829-6200
- Pennsylvania 2-1-1: Dial 211 for community resources including disaster assistance referrals
- American Red Cross Eastern PA: Provides emergency shelter and supplies after flooding
Before You Call
How long does flood restoration take in the Lehigh Valley?
A minor basement flood with a few inches of clean water: 1–3 weeks including drying and repairs. A major flood with Category 3 water involving first-floor or multi-room damage: 2–4 months. A severe event requiring significant structural demolition and rebuild: 4–8 months or longer, especially if permits are required.
Can I throw away flood-damaged items before the adjuster comes?
Photograph everything before discarding. For Category 3 contaminated materials (sewage-contacted items), your insurer will generally accept photographic evidence and an itemized list rather than requiring an in-person inspection of hazardous materials. Call your adjuster first to confirm their documentation requirements.
My basement flooded from a backed-up floor drain. Is that covered?
This is a sewer backup event, not a homeowners policy flood event. It is covered if you carry a sewer backup endorsement. It isn’t covered by standard NFIP flood insurance (which covers surface water flooding, not drain backup). Check your homeowners declarations page for a “water backup” or “sewer backup” endorsement. The limit is typically $5,000–$25,000, often insufficient for a full basement restoration. Consider increasing this limit at your next renewal.
The previous owner had flooding but didn’t disclose it. What are my rights?
Pennsylvania’s Real Estate Seller Disclosure Law requires sellers to disclose known material defects including prior flooding, water intrusion, and drainage problems. If you have evidence that the seller had knowledge of prior flooding and failed to disclose it, consult a Pennsylvania real estate attorney. You may have a claim against the prior owner.
Should I rent a pump and fans from the hardware store, or hire a professional?
For minor flooding, a couple inches of clean water in a finished basement, DIY extraction with a rental pump plus rented fans is sometimes adequate. For Category 2 or Category 3 flooding (gray or black water), for any flooding that reached wall cavities, for significant flooring saturation, or for events where mold prevention is a concern, professional restoration is the better choice. The equipment difference matters: commercial desiccant dehumidifiers move 5–10 times the moisture capacity of residential units, and professionals with moisture meters can confirm structural dryness rather than guessing.
How do I prevent basement flooding in the future?
Grade the soil around your foundation so it slopes away from the house at a rate of 6 inches over the first 10 feet. Extend downspouts at least 10 feet from the foundation. Install a sump pump with a battery backup (critical in the Lehigh Valley where power outages often accompany the same storms that cause flooding). Consider a sewer backflow preventer valve on your main sewer lateral. For chronic basement flooding, a French drain or interior drainage system may be necessary.