Floods in Denver Aren’t Always Predictable
It usually starts with a surprise storm over the foothills, or heavy rain parked over the same neighborhood for hours. In Denver, floods don’t always come from rivers. A blocked storm drain, a flash burst over dry clay soil, runoff from a nearby slope, any one of those events can fill a basement or push water into the house before you know what’s happening.
You close the windows and check the weather radar, but by the time the street is underwater, you’re already in trouble. What matters next is what you do after it happens.
What To Do Immediately After a Flood: Step-by-Step Guide for Denver Residents
Don’t Touch the Water
If water’s inside the house and the power’s still on, don’t wade into it. Step back. In older homes around Park Hill or Westwood, it’s common for outlets and appliances to sit right at floor level, and if the water has reached those, there’s an electrocution risk. Cut the breakers to that part of the house only if you can do it safely without walking into water to reach them. If not, call for a shutoff. The instinct is to start bailing water, but that’s how people get hurt. Power down first.
Take Photos First
You’ll want to start fixing things, but stop long enough to take pictures. Even if you’re not sure what your insurance covers, the record matters. Wide shots, corners of rooms, water lines on furniture legs, anything that shows where the flood reached and what it touched.
Don’t just focus on damage, show what was clean before. Dry parts of the house, the edge of the waterline, and the items nearby that were affected indirectly. Those photos help establish scale when an adjuster tries to tell you it’s not as bad as you remember.
The Smell Will Hit Before the Mold Arrives
Once the water starts to drain, the house doesn’t go back to normal, and the smell starts creeping in fast. If you’ve never dealt with floodwater, it’s not what you’d expect. It’s part earth, part drywall, part old wood, and soaked insulation. You won’t see mold yet, but you’ll smell the beginning of it.
Get the fans moving, open whatever windows you can, and start drying everything, even if it looks fine. That includes wood floors that feel dry underfoot, or carpet that doesn’t squish anymore. In Denver’s dry climate, you might assume the air will fix it. It won’t.
Not All Floodwater Is Just Rain
If water backed up through a floor drain or entered through a low shower pan, you might be dealing with more than stormwater. Combined sewer systems in older Denver neighborhoods sometimes push up contaminated water when the pipes fill faster than they can clear. The smell is stronger, and you’ll know it immediately. If there’s even a chance it came from a drain, treat it like a hazard. Don’t let kids or pets near it, and don’t try to disinfect with store-bought cleaners.
Insurance Doesn’t Always Come with Flood Coverage
You may have homeowner’s insurance, but that doesn’t mean it covers flooding. It depends on where the water came from and how it got in. Rainwater through a roof might qualify as storm damage. Groundwater rising through the foundation usually doesn’t. If you don’t have flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), you may be paying for recovery out of pocket.
But don’t let that stop you from filing the claim. Sometimes, a sump pump failure or water intrusion from a damaged structure gives you partial coverage. You don’t know what’s covered until you ask, and you won’t be reimbursed unless you start a claim now.
Dry the Structure, Not Just the Surface
Even when the floors feel dry and the visible water’s gone, the parts that matter most are still wet. Drywall holds moisture, and so do studs, subfloors, and cabinet bases. You won’t feel it when you touch the surface, but it’s still there inside the material.
Set up fans, run a dehumidifier, and pull baseboards where the water touched the wall. Leave closets and cabinet doors open. Pull rugs and vent the air for days, not hours. Don’t assume you’re done just because it smells better.
After the Water Is Gone, You’re Still Not in the Clear
Even when the skies are clear and the weather stabilizes, your home may still be holding moisture. Wood, drywall, and insulation dry slowly, especially in hidden areas. Mold thrives in these conditions.
A follow-up inspection from a mold remediation professional can help catch problems early before they become widespread.
Denver Clean-up & Restoration Services
With over 150 years of combined experience, the Colorado Cleanup Services, Inc. team has the knowledge, skill, and commitment necessary to handle any emergency cleanup services you may require. From flood and fire damage restoration to sewage backup and coronavirus cleanup services in Denver, CO, you can always turn to us when you need deep, disinfecting cleaning for your home or business.
Family-owned and operated, our cleaning company is proud to provide the services of trained and certified technicians to all our clients. Our impressive team knows what it takes to return damaged properties to their original condition with the highest level of professionalism. Don’t settle for anything less when you require high-quality disaster recovery services. Our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure you receive the help you need when you need it. Give us a call: 303-237-4406.