Restoration Referral in Deltona, FL

Ian turned September 2022 into a 100- to 200-year event in Deltona

Hurricane Ian brought 11 to 15 inches of rain to Deltona, and the city finished September 2022 with 20 inches, against a typical September of about 6. The city's planning and development director called it a 100- to 200-year storm event, and said flooding was most severe in the Lake Theresa basin. Across Volusia County, thousands of homes and businesses flooded within a week of the storm, with the county watching the St. Johns River closely from Stone Island to Astor, DeLand and Lake Harney.

Why Deltona's water stays

Spectrum News 13 reported in December 2024 that residents were still dealing with flooding after Ian, Nicole and Milton. Water drains toward the Deltona chain of lakes and the Lake Theresa basin, where floodgates are controlled by the St. Johns River Water Management District, and the district says the city must request the emergency overflow opening and manage its operation. One resident told the station about five months of standing water in his living room after Ian and Nicole.

If your property sits low near the chain of lakes, plan for water that arrives after the storm and leaves slowly. Photograph it daily, report each wave of flooding as its own date of loss, and check with your insurer how multiple storms on one property are treated.

After the water: mold and Category 3 contamination

Water that sits in a house for days is where mold takes hold; the EPA advises drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours. Lake and floodwater is treated as Category 3 (grossly contaminated) in the IICRC S500 standard, so porous materials such as drywall, insulation and carpet that sat in it generally need removal. A basic homeowners policy does not cover flooding, per Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation; that is a separate flood policy with a typical 30-day wait.