From Astoria to the Rockaways
Water Damage Restoration in Queens
Queens is New York City’s largest borough by area and one of the most diverse places in the world. Its housing runs from high-rise towers in Long Island City and co-op buildings along Queens Boulevard to two-family houses in Astoria and Woodside, detached homes in Bayside and Queens Village, and bungalows and beach houses in the Rockaways. Water damage here takes just as many forms.
Queens at a glance
- Borough
- Queens County, New York City
- Biggest local risks
- Basement flooding, groundwater, coastal surge
- Contractor licensing
- NYC Dept. of Consumer and Worker Protection
Answered 24/7 · free to call
Local pages
Water damage help by neighborhood in Queens
Each page covers the local water damage risks, ZIP codes and first steps for that neighborhood.
Water damage risks across Queens
Basement apartments and flash floods
When the remnants of Hurricane Ida struck on September 1, 2021, 11 of New York City’s 13 flood deaths were in Queens, most of them in basement apartments, including in Woodside and Flushing. Combined sewers back up through floor drains, and runoff pours down basement stairs. If you live below ground, sign up for Notify NYC and leave early when a flash flood warning is issued.
Southeast Queens groundwater
In Jamaica, Hollis, St. Albans, Queens Village, Cambria Heights and nearby neighborhoods, the water table rose after the Jamaica Water Supply Company’s local wells stopped pumping in 1996. Basements there can take on water even without rain. The city’s Department of Environmental Protection is carrying out a $2.78 billion, multi-decade program to build out storm sewers in southeast Queens.
Jamaica Bay and the Rockaways
Sandy’s surge in 2012 flooded nearly all of the Rockaway Peninsula, Broad Channel and Howard Beach. These areas still flood at extreme high tides and in coastal storms, and most of them are in FEMA high-risk flood zones.
Apartments, co-ops and two-family homes
Most Queens residents live above or below someone else. Leaks from upstairs, burst risers and overflowing tubs are the most common calls in Astoria, Jackson Heights, Forest Hills, Elmhurst and Long Island City.
Sewers, water and who to call
Queens is served by city water and sewers, run by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection. To report a sewer backup from the street, a water main break, or to have DEP shut the curb valve, call 311. The house sewer line between your building and the city main is the property owner’s responsibility, so a backup affecting only your building usually needs a licensed plumber.
For damage in a rental, notify the landlord in writing. If it is not repaired, 311 can open a complaint with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Choosing a restoration company in Queens
- Ask for the company’s NYC home improvement contractor license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
- In co-ops and condos, check with the managing agent about insurance certificates and work hours.
- Ask for daily moisture readings and photos. They support your claim and show when the space is dry.
- For mold over 10 square feet, New York requires a licensed mold assessor and a separate licensed remediator.
Every neighborhood we take calls from in Queens
This is the full list of Queens neighborhoods covered. If yours is not listed, call anyway: the team will tell you right away whether it can help.
| Community | ZIP codes |
|---|---|
| Arverne | 11692 |
| Astoria | 11102, 11103, 11105, 11106 |
| Bayside | 11359, 11360, 11361 |
| Bellerose | 11426 |
| Breezy Point | 11697 |
| Cambria Heights | 11411 |
| College Point | 11356 |
| Corona | 11368 |
| East Elmhurst | 11369, 11370 |
| Elmhurst | 11373 |
| Far Rockaway | 11691, 11693 |
| Flushing | 11354, 11355, 11358, 11367, 11371 |
| Forest Hills | 11375 |
| Fresh Meadows | 11365, 11366 |
| Glen Oaks | 11004 |
| Hollis | 11423 |
| Howard Beach | 11414 |
| Jackson Heights | 11372 |
| Jamaica | 11424, 11430, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11439, 11451 |
| Kew Gardens | 11415 |
| Little Neck | 11362, 11363 |
| Long Island City | 11101, 11109 |
| Maspeth | 11378 |
| Middle Village | 11379 |
| Oakland Gardens | 11364 |
| Ozone Park | 11416, 11417 |
| Queens Village | 11427, 11428, 11429 |
| Rego Park | 11374 |
| Richmond Hill | 11418 |
| Ridgewood | 11385 |
| Rockaway Park | 11694 |
| Rosedale | 11422 |
| Saint Albans | 11412 |
| South Ozone Park | 11420 |
| South Richmond Hill | 11419 |
| Springfield Gardens | 11413 |
| Sunnyside | 11104 |
| Whitestone | 11357 |
| Woodhaven | 11421 |
| Woodside | 11377 |
Common questions
Water damage in Queens: common questions
Do you serve every neighborhood in Queens?
Calls are accepted from neighborhoods across Queens, from Astoria and Long Island City to Bayside, Jamaica and the Rockaways. The full list with ZIP codes is below. The company that answers confirms availability for your address.
My Queens basement floods every time it rains hard. What can I do?
A licensed plumber can install a backwater valve on the sewer line to stop backups. Keep window wells and stairwell drains clear, extend downspouts, and report clogged catch basins to 311. In southeast Queens, groundwater may also need a sump pump or waterproofing.
Is my Queens home in a flood zone?
Look up your address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center or the city’s flood hazard map. The Rockaways, Broad Channel, Howard Beach and parts of the north shore near Flushing Bay and Little Neck Bay are in high-risk zones, but cloudburst flooding can happen anywhere.
Who pays when the apartment above leaks into mine?
The building owner repairs the building, and your renters or HO-6 insurance covers your belongings and improvements. Responsibility between neighbors depends on the cause and the building documents. Report it in writing and keep photos.
Local water damage help in Queens
Call (800) 000-0000, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.