Water that comes in during storms and flooding: emergency extraction, board-up help, drying and cleanup in Columbus, Franklin County and central Ohio.
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Storm damage restoration covers water removal and drying after wind-driven rain, a limb opening a roof, or overland and river flooding. A crew stops the water at the source if it safely can, tarps or boards the opening, extracts standing water and dries the structure. Phones are answered 24/7, and a crew is dispatched as fast as one is available.
On 19 and 20 August 2026 the National Weather Service measured 4 to 7 inches of rain in the heaviest areas of Franklin and Licking counties. It reported significant overland and river flooding and numerous road closures, and its warnings named Columbus, Westerville, Reynoldsburg, Gahanna, Pickerington, Worthington, Bexley and the Ohio State campus. Storms like that do not stop at the curb. They push water into basements, crawl spaces and ground-floor rooms quickly, and the materials stay wet long after the sky clears.
The ground here adds to the problem. Much of Franklin County sits on glacial till, and the Bennington soils common in the area drain somewhat poorly, with a perched water table about 15 to 30 centimeters down in normal years. Pewamo soils in low spots are very poorly drained, with a seasonal high water table within about 30 centimeters of the surface from December to May. When heavy rain falls on dry clay, much of it runs across the surface instead of soaking in, so water pools against foundations and finds the first low threshold it can reach.
The cause of a loss decides what an insurer may pay. A standard homeowners policy generally responds to sudden and accidental water damage, such as wind opening a roof. It generally does not cover flood, meaning surface water and rivers or creeks, which needs a separate flood policy. Sewer and drain backup depends on an added endorsement. Check your policy and ask your agent, and take photos before anything is moved. The Ohio Department of Insurance takes consumer complaints at 800-686-1526.
Do not walk or wade through standing or moving floodwater, and do not enter a basement where water reaches outlets, the electrical panel, the furnace or the water heater. Have power to wet areas cut by a qualified person before anyone works in them. Treat floodwater and sewage-contaminated water as hazardous, keep children and pets away, and wash any skin that touches it. Do not climb onto a roof or ladder in wind or wet conditions to tarp an opening, and do not run a generator indoors.
Storm winds lift shingles and open flashing, and rain follows the framing down into attic insulation, ceilings and walls. Water often shows up in a room far from the actual opening. A technician traces the path with moisture readings before opening finished surfaces. Board-up or tarping at the opening is common, and roofing repair is handled separately.
When heavy rain runs off clay and pools against the house, water can seep through foundation walls, enter window wells and reach basement floor drains. Finished basements in newer suburbs often have carpet and drywall on the lower walls. Those materials are removed where needed and dried in place where they can be saved.
Water that rose from the Scioto, the Olentangy, Alum Creek, Big Walnut Creek or Blacklick Creek is Category 3 under IICRC S500 terms. That category carries more contamination control and more removal of porous materials. It is the most involved type of storm cleanup and needs careful handling of anything it touched.
A fallen limb can crack a roof deck, open a wall or break a window and let rain in for hours. The crew focuses first on closing the opening, then on drying the structure underneath. Structural repair, tree removal and roof replacement fall outside this service.
A crew is dispatched as fast as one is available, and you approve the estimate before any work starts.
Not every one. A few shingles blown off over a dry attic may only need a roofer and a tarp, while water in a basement or in drywall needs drying and cleanup.
The question is whether water has reached building materials. Wet drywall, carpet pad, insulation and subfloor hold moisture, and EPA guidance points to drying water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold.
A technician checks for hidden moisture with meters and thermal imaging, because water often travels behind baseboards and under floors. The readings are logged so the drying can be confirmed rather than guessed.
Generally no. Surface water and river or creek flooding is usually handled by a separate flood policy, so ask your agent about one before you need it.
Flood and sewer backup are the two losses homeowners most often assume are included. The Ohio Department of Insurance lists sewer backup or basement leak among typical exclusions on homeowners forms, so that coverage depends on an added endorsement. Your policy wording is the answer.
Flood coverage is bought through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program or a private insurer. Whether an address sits in a mapped floodplain is something you can check yourself on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.
The crew works to stop the water and close the opening first, then removes standing water and starts drying. Tarping and board-up are temporary, and roof replacement is not part of this service.
Stopping the water comes before anything else. A technician can help shut off water at the main or a fixture if that is safe, and can tarp or board a wall, window or roof opening to keep rain out.
Standing water is extracted, and wet materials that cannot dry in place are removed. Drying equipment runs until readings show the structure is dry, and repairs come after drying.
The size of the wet area, the water category, the materials it reached and how long it sat move the job the most. The price is confirmed on site, and the emergency stage is explained and approved before work starts.
Water category is a major variable. Floodwater that rose from a river or creek is Category 3 under IICRC S500 terms, and it brings more removal and more contamination control. Water also gets worse the longer it sits, so early drying matters.
Materials and access shift the work too. Finished basement drywall, hardwood over a crawl space, plaster in an older house and cabinetry each dry and come out differently. Mold already present turns the job into a containment job, and repairs are quoted after someone has seen the wet area.
Yes. Water that rose from a river or creek is treated as grossly contaminated, which changes what gets removed and how carefully the cleanup is done.
Floodwater from the Scioto, the Olentangy or the east-side creeks carries soil, debris and whatever the flood picked up. The category tells the crew how to handle carpet, pad, insulation and drywall, and which can be saved. Keep children and pets out of it.
Rain entering through a roof or siding opening still reaches wood, insulation and drywall, so the same moisture readings and drying checks apply. The crew will tell you which category it is treating on site.
Phones are answered 24/7, and a crew is dispatched as fast as one is available. Describe where the water came from, whether it is still rising, and which rooms are affected. Do not walk into standing water to check it.
A technician can help shut off water at the main or a fixture if that is safe to reach. Tarps or boards keep rain out while the building dries. This is temporary work, and replacing the roof is a separate job for a roofer.
Standing water is extracted, and materials that cannot dry in place, such as carpet pad, wet insulation and cut drywall, come out. Floodwater from a river or creek is handled as Category 3 water, which means more careful removal.
Moisture meters and thermal imaging show water behind baseboards and under flooring. Air movers and dehumidifiers run until re-checked readings show the structure is dry. Drying usually runs over several days, depending on the materials.
The crew can photograph the damage and give moisture readings for your insurer, but coverage is decided by your insurer. The emergency stage is explained and approved before work starts. Repairs to drywall, trim and flooring are quoted after drying.
Columbus sits where the Scioto and Olentangy rivers meet downtown, and Alum Creek, Big Walnut Creek and Blacklick Creek run down the east side. When rain outruns those channels, storm water backs up into the neighborhoods along them, and each block can get a different amount.
The 1913 flood is the local reference point. On 25 March 1913 the Scioto broke the levee protecting the west side, and Franklinton was hit hardest. The Franklinton Floodwall was built afterward, and the city's own listings describe sections needing patch repair. Reservoirs upstream are run for water supply, not flood control.
The August 2026 rain fell hardest on Franklin and Licking counties, and the NWS forecast Scioto River flooding in southern Franklin County. Jurisdiction matters after a storm. Parts of Reynoldsburg, Canal Winchester, New Albany, Westerville and Dublin sit across county lines, so the building department depends on which side of the line the house is on.
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Extraction, drying and cleanup for Columbus homes and businesses, with phones answered 24/7 and a crew dispatched as fast as one is available.
Standing water comes out first, then the drying starts. How a crew handles emergency water removal in Columbus basements and ground floors.
Cleanup after river, creek and flash flood water in Columbus, covering removal, drying and the checks that come before repairs.
Water removal, drying and moisture checks for flooded basements across Columbus and central Ohio, with phones answered 24/7.
Phones are answered 24/7, and a crew is dispatched as fast as one is available. Demand can be high after a storm like the one that hit Franklin and Licking counties on 19 and 20 August 2026, so timing depends on how many crews are working. A crew cannot promise an arrival time over the phone. Until one arrives, move valuables above the water and photograph the damage.
You can open windows, move furniture out of the water and pull up soaked rugs if it is safe. Store-bought fans do not replace moisture readings or a check for water inside walls and under floors. EPA guidance points to drying water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold. Ask the crew what it plans to do before you pull out drywall yourself.
No. The crew can give you moisture readings, photos and a description of the work for your claim. Coverage is decided by your insurer under your policy. Ask your agent what your policy says about wind, flood and sewer backup.
No. Tarping and boarding an opening keep rain out while the building dries, and they are temporary. Replacing shingles, flashing or a damaged roof section is roofing work and is outside this service. Ask a roofer for the permanent repair once the water is out.
Possibly. Pipe repair and water heater replacement need a licensed plumber, and in Columbus that plumber must be registered with the city. The crew does not do plumbing repair. Electrical equipment that got wet should be checked by a qualified electrician before power is restored.
Plumbing work is licensed in Ohio, and the state board licenses commercial plumbing contractors while city building departments handle residential registration. Ask any company which license it holds and check it with the issuing office. Ohio does not license mold remediation the way some states do, so also ask what standard the company follows, such as ANSI/IICRC S500 for water damage.