All Staten Island ZIP codes
Water Damage Restoration on Staten Island
Staten Island is the most suburban of the five boroughs. Most people live in detached and semi-detached houses, many with basements, from the older neighborhoods of the North Shore to the hills of the Mid-Island and the newer developments of the South Shore. It also has the city’s most exposed coastline: the East and South Shore beaches face Lower New York Bay and Raritan Bay.
One call connects you with an independent restoration company that serves your part of the island, any hour of the day.
Staten Island at a glance
- Borough
- Richmond County, New York City
- Biggest local risks
- Coastal surge, basement flooding, frozen pipes
- Contractor licensing
- NYC Dept. of Consumer and Worker Protection
Answered 24/7 · free to call
Water damage risks on Staten Island
Sandy and the East Shore
Superstorm Sandy killed 24 Staten Islanders in October 2012, more than any other borough. Many died in Midland Beach, Oakwood Beach, New Dorp Beach, Ocean Breeze and South Beach, where the surge swept through neighborhoods of low bungalows. In Oakwood Beach, the state later bought out hundreds of homes and returned the land to nature, and the Army Corps of Engineers is building a seawall and levee along the East Shore.
Basements in one- and two-family houses
Most Staten Island homes have basements, often finished or used as living space. Burst pipes, water heater failures, sump pump failures and sewer backups all end up there first.
The Bluebelt and septic
Much of the South Shore was built before it had storm sewers or sanitary sewers, and many homes used septic tanks in ground with a high water table. The city’s Staten Island Bluebelt uses streams, ponds and wetlands to carry stormwater, and new Bluebelt projects have connected hundreds of homes to sanitary sewers. Some homes still rely on septic systems.
Hills and runoff
The Mid-Island hills, from Grymes Hill to Todt Hill, send runoff down steep streets. Houses built into slopes take water in at the uphill basement wall during downpours.
Who to call first
| Situation | First call |
|---|---|
| Your house’s main valve fails | 311 for DEP to shut the curb valve |
| Sewage backing up from the street or affecting neighbors | 311 to report it to DEP |
| Backup affecting only your house, on city sewer | A licensed plumber (the house sewer line is the owner’s responsibility) |
| Backup, house on a septic system | A septic service company to pump and inspect |
| Street or storm drain flooding | 311, and keep catch basins near your home clear |
Then call a restoration company to extract the water and dry the structure. See basement flooding and sewage backup cleanup.
Older homes on the North Shore
St. George, Stapleton, Tompkinsville, West Brighton and Port Richmond have many houses built in the late 1800s and early 1900s, along with two-family homes and small apartment buildings. Stone and brick foundations let water through after long rains, older plumbing and steam or hot-water heat fail with age, and leaks travel between units in converted houses. Plaster walls and wood floors in these homes can often be dried in place if drying starts within a day or two.
Flood insurance on Staten Island
Large parts of the East and South Shore are in FEMA high-risk flood zones, where lenders require flood insurance. Homeowners insurance does not cover storm surge or surface water entering from outside. National Flood Insurance Program policies usually take 30 days to start, and basement coverage is limited to equipment such as furnaces, water heaters and electrical panels. See our flood zones guide, which explains how FEMA zones and NFIP coverage work across the region.
Hiring a restoration company on Staten Island
- Ask for the company’s NYC home improvement contractor license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
- Get a written work authorization for emergency work and a written estimate for repairs.
- 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.
ZIP codes we take calls from on Staten Island
Calls are accepted from every Staten Island ZIP code below. If you are not sure, call anyway: the team will tell you right away whether it can help.
- 10301
- 10302
- 10303
- 10304
- 10305
- 10306
- 10307
- 10308
- 10309
- 10310
- 10311
- 10312
- 10314
Common questions
Water damage on Staten Island: common questions
Do you serve all of Staten Island?
Calls are accepted from every Staten Island ZIP code listed below, from St. George and Port Richmond to Tottenville. The company that answers confirms availability for your address.
My Staten Island basement floods in heavy rain. What can I do?
A licensed plumber can install a backwater valve to stop sewer backups. Extend downspouts, keep window wells and stairwell drains clear, and report clogged catch basins to 311. A sump pump with a battery backup helps where groundwater is high.
Is my house on a sewer or a septic system?
Most Staten Island homes are on city sewers, but some, mostly on the South Shore, still use septic systems. Your DEP water and sewer bill shows a sewer charge if you are connected.
Does flood insurance cover my finished basement?
NFIP flood policies generally cover basement equipment such as furnaces, water heaters and electrical panels, but not finished walls, flooring or most contents there. Check your policy with your agent.
A pipe froze in my Staten Island garage. What should I do?
If it has not burst, open the faucet it feeds and warm the pipe slowly with a hair dryer, never an open flame. If it has burst, shut the main valve, turn off power to wet areas from a dry spot, and call for extraction and drying.
Local water damage help on Staten Island
Call (800) 000-0000, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.