These are common questions people in Queens ask about water damage, including the ones Google shows when people search for water damage restoration, flood cleanup and mold removal in Queens. Each answer sticks to published guidance and rules. None is a price or a promise: only a provider who has seen the damage can quote the work, and only your insurer can say what your policy covers.
About this site
Queens Water Damage Restoration is an independent referral service, not a restoration company. When you send the form, your details go to an independent local restoration provider serving Queens, who can contact you, inspect and quote any work directly. You decide whether to hire them. More is on the about page.
Right now
What should I do immediately after water damage?
Safety first. Keep out of standing water near outlets, the electrical panel or appliances, switch the main power off only from a dry place, and never touch switches or tools while standing in water. If you smell gas, the CDC says to turn off the main gas valve, open the windows and leave at once. Then stop the water if you can, at the main valve for a pipe or fixture. Move what you can, photograph everything, and send the form. The water removal in Queens page has the full list.
How quickly does it need to be dried?
The EPA’s guidance is to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. That is the reason not to wait.
Can I run a generator or a gas pump in the basement?
No. The EPA says to use generators only outside and at least 20 feet from buildings, and never inside a home, garage or shed. They produce carbon monoxide, which can kill in minutes, and OSHA notes gasoline and diesel pumps release it too.
Leaks in apartment buildings
Who is responsible for a leak from an upstairs apartment?
It depends on the source, the building and the policies involved. Whatever the answer, act the same way: tell the super, the managing agent or the landlord at once so the water can be stopped, photograph your damage, and put it in writing. In buildings with three or more apartments, the owner must keep tenants’ homes free of mold, including safely repairing the leaks that cause it.
My landlord will not fix a leak or mold. What can I do?
HPD’s advice is to notify your landlord first. If the landlord does not fix the hazard, or the repair is not being done safely, file a complaint online or call 311. Local Law 55 of 2018 requires owners of buildings with three or more apartments to keep apartments free of mold and pests, fix the conditions that cause them and inspect every year.
Is a tenant responsible for a water leak?
That depends on what caused it and on your lease and policy. Report it at once either way, because the longer water runs, the more damage it does and the greater the risk of mold. Check your own policy or ask your agent.
Mold
Can I clean mold myself?
The EPA says that if the moldy area is less than about 10 square feet, roughly 3 feet by 3 feet, in most cases you can. NYC’s Health Department suggests soap and water on hard surfaces, waterproof gloves, keeping children and pets away and drying the area completely. Bleach is not recommended as a routine practice, the EPA says.
How serious is mold in an apartment?
Serious enough that New York City has written rules about it. In buildings with 10 or more apartments, mold covering more than 10 square feet must be handled by assessment and remediation workers holding a New York State Department of Labor license, and the same worker may not both assess and remove it. See mold remediation in Queens and mold inspection in Queens.
Floods and sewer backups
Who do you call to clean up a flooded basement?
A restoration provider for the water, drying and cleanup, and a plumber if a pipe or fixture caused it. For floodwater and sewage, the EPA advises a professional with experience in contaminated water. Report a clogged catch basin or street flooding to 311. See flood cleanup in Queens.
Why does water come up through my basement drain?
DEP says sewer backups happen when heavy rain exceeds the pipes’ capacity. During Ida, rain fell at up to 3.5 inches an hour in some areas against a sewer capacity of 1.75 inches an hour. Treat water from a floor drain as sewage, which the IICRC S500 counts as Category 3 water. See sewage cleanup in Queens.
Is my home in a flood zone?
Check your address on NYC’s flood maps pages. Flood zones use letters and come from FEMA’s maps; hurricane evacuation zones use numbers and are a separate map, which you can check with the city’s Zone Finder or by calling 311.
Insurance and cost
Will homeowners insurance pay for water damage?
It depends on the policy and the cause. On floods, FloodSmart says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, and only flood insurance covers the cost of rebuilding after a flood. For anything else, check your own policy or ask your agent.
What does water damage restoration cost?
This site gives no prices. The cost depends on how much water, what it reached, whether it was contaminated and what has to be removed. The provider inspects and quotes directly, and you can compare quotes before agreeing to anything.
How long does restoration take?
It depends on the job. A provider who has seen the damage can give you a plan; anyone who has not, cannot say honestly.
Questions people ask
Is Queens Water Damage Restoration a restoration company?
No. Queens Water Damage Restoration is an independent referral service, not a restoration company. When you send the form, your details go to an independent local restoration provider serving Queens, who can contact you, inspect and quote any work directly. You decide whether to hire them.
Does it cost anything to send the form?
No. Sending the form is free, and you never have to hire anyone.
Which parts of Queens are covered?
All of Queens. Pick your neighborhood on the form, or choose Somewhere else in Queens.
Water damage in Queens? Tell us your neighborhood and what happened.