Water Damage Restoration in Suffolk County

Water damage risks across Suffolk

Cesspool and septic backups

According to Suffolk County, about 360,000 homes, roughly 74%, are not connected to a sewer. When a cesspool fills up or the ground around it is saturated by heavy rain or high groundwater, wastewater backs up into the lowest drain in the house, usually in the basement. Stop using water, and call a cesspool service company to pump and inspect the system, as well as a restoration company for the cleanup.

Flash flooding inland

The August 2014 storm that dropped 13.57 inches on Islip in 24 hours, the New York State record, flooded homes and roads across central Suffolk, including Bay Shore, Brentwood, Central Islip and Ronkonkoma. Inland flooding happens when storm drains and recharge basins cannot keep up, not only near the water.

South Shore and Fire Island

From Lindenhurst and Babylon to Mastic Beach and Fire Island, the South Shore faces surge and tidal flooding. Sandy flooded thousands of homes along the Great South Bay in 2012.

East End second homes

In the Hamptons, the North Fork and Shelter Island, many houses sit empty for weeks at a time in winter. A pipe that bursts in an empty house can run until someone checks in, which turns a small repair into a whole-house job. Water sensors, remote thermostats and automatic shut-off valves are worth the cost.

Water service and shut-offs

The Suffolk County Water Authority supplies most of the county, with some areas served by local water districts or private wells, especially on the East End. Your provider is on your water bill, and it can shut off the curb valve if your inside main valve fails. Homes on private wells can stop the flow by turning off the well pump at its breaker.

Choosing a restoration company in Suffolk

• Ask for the company’s Suffolk County home improvement license, issued by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs.
• For cesspool backups, expect the restoration team to treat the water as Category 3 (contaminated) and remove porous materials it touched.
• Ask how the team will dry finished basements, including behind the walls.
• If mold over 10 square feet is involved, New York requires a licensed mold assessor and a separate licensed remediator.

Septic upgrades after a backup

If your cesspool has failed, Suffolk County’s septic improvement program offers grants toward replacing old systems with innovative, nitrogen-reducing systems. A licensed septic or cesspool company can tell you whether your property qualifies. It is worth asking about before you simply replace a failed cesspool with another one.

Every community we take calls from in Suffolk County

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