Water Damage Cleanup in Florida, FL

• This page covers the whole state. Local guides on this site cover Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville, plus Charlotte County and Sarasota County; they are linked below, and local building offices, flood maps and storm history are left to them.
• Charlotte and Sarasota counties are on the southwest Gulf coast below Tampa Bay, Jacksonville is in the northeast corner of the state, and Orlando is in Central Florida.
• The state rules on this page apply everywhere in Florida, including towns with no local guide here; requests from those places go to independent providers nearby, and repair permit questions belong with the city or county building department for the address.

• Water removal and drying of flooring, walls and cabinetry after a supply line, water heater or air-conditioner condensate line leaks
• Flood cuts and removal of soaked drywall, insulation and flooring after storm surge or rising water
• Drying ceilings and attic insulation after rain gets past storm-damaged roofing
• Mold remediation by a DBPR-licensed mold remediator
• Documenting a homeowners or flood claim with photos, moisture readings and lists of damaged items

• Which policy responds: FEMA says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage and that flood insurance is a separate policy that can cover buildings, contents or both. The DFS flood FAQ lists water or moisture damage resulting from a condition primarily confined to the insured building among losses NFIP policies do not cover; how a homeowners policy treats such a leak depends on its wording.
• Two flood deductibles: DFS says separate deductibles apply to NFIP building and contents coverage, and both are applied when a flood damages both.
• No living expenses: according to DFS, the Standard Flood Insurance Policy covers only direct physical flood damage to the dwelling and pays no additional living expenses while repairs are made.
• Hurricane deductible: for a personal lines residential policy with a separate hurricane deductible, section 627.701(4)(b), F.S., requires the insurer to compute and prominently display the deductible's actual dollar value on the declarations page at issuance and, at renewal, on the renewal declarations page or the premium renewal notice.
• Code-compliance money: FEMA says NFIP policyholders whose buildings are in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and are determined substantially damaged may be eligible for up to $30,000 in Increased Cost of Compliance coverage toward floodproofing, elevating, relocating or demolishing; DFS notes none is left if the building claim is paid up to the $250,000 policy limit.

• What the license covers: section 468.8411, F.S., defines mold assessment and mold remediation by reference to mold growth or mold-contaminated matter of greater than 10 square feet, and remediation covers matter not purposely grown at that location. Remediation may not be work that requires a chapter 489 contractor license unless a person licensed under that chapter does it or the work complies with that chapter. DBPR's FAQ names rule chapter 61-31, F.A.C., alongside the statute.
• Exemptions: section 468.841(2) exempts from the remediation provisions a residential property owner who performs mold remediation on his or her own property, and section 468.841(1) does the same for a residential property owner doing mold assessment on his or her own property. Section 468.841 lists further exemptions in both subsections, each with its own limits; read the full section or ask DBPR before relying on any of them.
• Keeping assessment and remediation apart: section 468.8419(1)(d) says a person may not perform or offer to perform mold remediation on a structure where the mold assessor or the assessor's company provided a mold assessment within the last 12 months. Under 468.8419(2)(d), a mold remediator, a company employing one, or a company controlled by a company that also has a financial interest in a company employing one may not perform or offer to perform a mold assessment on a structure where the remediator or the remediator's company provided a mold remediation within the last 12 months. Neither bar applies to a certified contractor classified in section 489.105(3) as a Division I contractor, though DBPR may adopt rules requiring that contractor's contract to tell the homeowner of the right to request competitive bids. DBPR's FAQ quotes both 12-month bars without the Division I exception; the statute includes it, so confirm with DBPR if it matters to your job.
• Insurance and contracts: section 468.8421 requires a mold assessor to carry general liability and errors and omissions coverage for both preliminary and postremediation mold assessment of at least $1 million, and a mold remediator to carry a general liability policy of not less than $1,000,000 that includes specific coverage for mold-related claims. DBPR's FAQ says each licensee needs their own coverage or must be specifically named on the company's policy. Under section 468.8422, a mold assessment or remediation contract must be in a document or electronic record, signed or otherwise authenticated by the parties.
• Companies and individuals: section 468.8418 lets a corporation or partnership offer mold assessment or remediation to the public through licensees, but a corporation cannot hold the license, and neither the company nor the individual licensee is relieved of responsibility for the work. Ask for the name and DBPR license number of the person who will do the work.
• Floodplain rules and permits: FDEM's floodplain office helps communities administer local floodplain ordinances and the flood provisions of the Florida Building Code. FEMA says that after a disaster, local floodplain management ordinances require local officials in NFIP communities to inspect disaster-damaged structures and complete substantial damage assessments in the SFHA, and that permits are required for all repairs in the SFHA regardless of damage determinations. Elsewhere, ask the city or county building department which repairs need a permit.

• Moisture and mold: the Florida Department of Health (DOH) says common molds can take hold when water stands for even 24 hours, and its prevention list includes drying wet building materials and carpets within 24 hours and using an air conditioner or dehumidifier to keep indoor humidity below 60 percent.
• Coastal exposure: FDEM says Florida has more than 22 million residents, 80 percent of whom live or work along or near the coast, and that as of late 2023 more than 1.7 million NFIP policies were in force in the state, nearly 35 percent of all policies nationwide.

Tampa · Orlando · Jacksonville · Charlotte County · Sarasota County