Flood water is not the same as a leak. When a creek leaves its banks or storm runoff pours in under a door, it brings soil, sewage, and whatever else it crossed. Under the IICRC S500 standard, that water is treated as Category 3 from the start, even if it looks clear.
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Cobb County has seen how fast its creeks can rise. On September 21, 2009, Sope Creek at Marietta crested at 18.35 feet against a 12-foot flood stage. A flooded home has to be cleaned and disinfected before it's dried, and carpet, pad, insulation, and the lower part of the drywall that the water touched usually come out.
Water category:Category 3 (black water)
Step 1
The crew checks for electrical and structural hazards, then pumps out standing water.
Step 2
Silt, mud, and soaked materials are removed. Contaminated carpet, pad, and insulation are bagged and hauled off.
Step 3
Drywall is cut above the water line so the wall cavities can be cleaned and dried instead of trapping contamination.
Step 4
Floors, framing, and remaining surfaces are washed and treated with an EPA-registered disinfectant.
Step 5
Dehumidifiers and air movers run until framing and slab are dry. Photos and moisture logs go to your adjuster.
Local notes
Sope Creek and Sewell Mill Creek both went over flood stage at Marietta on September 21, 2009, and storms like Helene in 2024 still bring record rain to the metro area. Cobb County's floodplain search shows FEMA flood zones for any address, and inside city limits the City of Marietta permit office (770-794-5659) handles floodplain permits before you rebuild.
Insurance
A standard Georgia homeowners policy does not cover flooding. Water from outside, including creek overflow and storm runoff, is covered only by a National Flood Insurance Program policy or a private flood policy, and new NFIP policies usually take 30 days to start. Rain that comes in through a storm-damaged roof or window is a different claim, so tell your adjuster exactly how the water got in.
Read the Georgia water damage insurance guideNo honest company can price this over the phone. These are the things the crew measures on site. Read the full cost guide.
Get a crew out to inspect it
An IICRC-certified crew measures the damage, explains the scope, and documents it for your insurer. You decide whether to go ahead.
(470) 305-6747Or estimate your drying scope firstNo. The Georgia Insurance Commissioner's office says standard homeowners policies cover wind and tornado damage but not flooding. You need a National Flood Insurance Program policy or a private flood policy, and it has to be in place before the storm.
Inside city limits, the City of Marietta requires a permit for development in a floodplain, and a home whose repair costs reach 50 percent of its market value over 10 years has to be brought up to current floodplain code. Ask the city permit office at 770-794-5659 before you sign a rebuild contract. Outside city limits, check Cobb County's floodplain search.
Solid wood, metal, glass, and hard plastic can usually be cleaned and disinfected. Mattresses, upholstered furniture, carpet pad, and most paper soaked by flood water are generally thrown away because they can't be fully disinfected. Photograph everything first for your claim.
