Water Damage Restoration in Rockland County, NY

Water damage risks across Rockland

The Hudson shoreline

The Hudson is tidal all along Rockland’s shore. Sandy’s surge in October 2012 flooded low-lying Piermont, where the water rose one to two feet above the mapped 100-year flood level, and about 120 homes along the Stony Point waterfront. Nyack, Haverstraw and Grand View also have low riverfront ground exposed to storm tides.

Rivers and creeks inland

The Mahwah and Ramapo rivers flood in Suffern and Sloatsburg; in Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, Mahwah River water damaged Suffern homes so badly that several were later bought out. The Sparkill, Minisceongo and Hackensack watersheds also rise quickly in intense storms.

Suburban basements

Most Rockland homes built from the 1950s through the 1980s have basements or partly below-grade lower levels with the water heater, boiler and laundry. Sump pump failures, burst supply lines and sewer lateral backups are the everyday calls.

Dense and multi-family housing

Spring Valley, Monsey, Haverstraw and parts of Nyack have many two-family houses, apartments and multi-family buildings, where a leak in one unit damages another.

Water, sewers and who to call

Veolia Water New York, formerly Suez and United Water, supplies about 300,000 people across most of Rockland. Its emergency number is on your bill, and it can shut the curb valve if your main valve fails.

Rockland County Sewer District No. 1 serves most of Ramapo and Clarkstown and maintains the sewers inside villages such as Spring Valley, Hillburn and Sloatsburg. Orangetown and other municipalities run their own systems. The lateral from your house to the street is the owner’s responsibility, so a backup affecting only your home usually needs a plumber. See sewage backup cleanup.

Winter and spring

Northern Rockland and the mountain valleys are colder than the river villages. Pipes in garages, crawl spaces and outside walls freeze in deep cold, and ice dams form on roofs with limited insulation. In spring, snowmelt and rain raise groundwater and keep sump pumps running for days. Test the pump and its backup before the season. See burst and frozen pipes and basement flooding.

Hiring a restoration company in Rockland

• Anyone doing home improvement work on residential property in Rockland must hold a Rockland County home improvement license from the Office of Consumer Protection. Working without one is a crime in the county. Ask for the number and look it up.
• Get a written contract for repairs. New York requires one for home improvement work over $500.
• Ask for daily moisture readings and photos for your insurer.
• For mold over 10 square feet, New York requires a licensed mold assessor and a separate licensed remediator.

Every community we take calls from in Rockland County

This is the full list of Rockland County communities covered. If yours is not listed, call anyway: the team will tell you right away whether it can help.