After the storm passes
- Stay out of standing water if power is still on in that part of the house.
- Cover roof or window openings with a tarp if you can do it safely, or ask the restoration crew to board up and tarp.
- Photograph the damage inside and out before cleanup starts.
- Call your insurance company to open a claim, then call us to get a crew started. You do not have to wait for the adjuster to begin water removal. Waiting usually makes the damage worse.
Flood water versus storm water
Insurance treats these differently. Rain that comes through a damaged roof or window is usually handled under a homeowners policy. Water that rises from the ground or a creek and flows into the house is flood water, which most homeowners policies exclude. That is covered by a separate flood policy, usually through the National Flood Insurance Program.
Either way, outside water carries soil and bacteria, so wet carpet, pad and lower drywall are typically removed rather than dried in place.
What to tell us when you call
- Where the water is coming from, if you know (pipe, water heater, washer, toilet, sump, rain).
- Whether it is clean water or sewage.
- Which rooms and floors are wet, and roughly how long it has been wet.
- Whether the water is shut off and the power to wet rooms is off.
- Your street or nearest cross street in Lawrence, so the right local crew picks up.
Stay on the line for a couple of minutes. That is usually all it takes to get matched with a local company that can send someone out.
Free to call. No obligation to hire anyone.
Flooding in Lawrence, past and present
The 1951 flood is still the one people point to. The Kansas River came over its banks and much of North Lawrence went underwater; afterward a levee was built along the north bank. In 1993 North Lawrence flooded again, and North Second Street was underwater near the old grocery at Second and Lincoln.
The river is one source. Local creeks and streets are another. The Kansas River gauge at Lawrence hits flood stage at 18 feet, but a heavy summer storm can flood a basement or a low street on any side of town with the river well below that. The Wakarusa River south of town and Burcham Park along the river are places people watch when the rain does not stop.
When a big storm hits, local crews get busy fast. Calling early gets you in line before every pump in town is spoken for.