Last updated: 2026-09-26
Water Damage Lansing is a water damage restoration company that provides storm and flood damage restoration in Lansing, MI and the Greater Lansing area. Lansing sits where the Red Cedar River joins the Grand, with Sycamore Creek and the Looking Glass River nearby, and 2026 has already shown the risk: in April, the Grand River was forecast to crest at 11.2 feet, the Red Cedar ran more than nine times its normal flow, and the governor declared a state of emergency during a second round of storms.
What we do on the first visit
Floodwater is Category 3 water under the IICRC S500 standard — it has run across streets, yards, and septic and sewer systems before it reached your house. We treat it that way from the first step: protective gear, no drying-in-place of contaminated porous materials, and disinfection of everything that stays.
We document the high-water line and every damaged room before removal starts, because flood insurance adjusters measure the depth and duration of the water.
How storms flood Lansing-area homes
There are three different ways storm water gets in, and they have different insurance answers. River and surface flooding — water rising from the Grand, Red Cedar, or a creek, or running across the ground into a window well — is flood damage. Sewer backups during the same storm come up through floor drains. And storm intrusion — wind-driven rain through a damaged roof or window — is its own category.
Flash floods matter as much as river floods here. On July 9, 2024, East Lansing took more than 5 inches of rain in about two hours; streets and parking lots flooded and cars were submerged at an apartment complex on Abbot Road.
After the water goes down
Floodwater leaves silt and contamination in everything it touched. Drywall comes out above the flood line, insulation comes out, and floors and framing are cleaned and disinfected before drying. Appliances, furnaces, and water heaters that were submerged need to be checked by a qualified technician before they're used again.
Flood insurance vs. homeowners insurance
Standard homeowners policies exclude flood — surface water and rising water. That damage is covered only by NFIP or private flood insurance, which usually has a 30-day waiting period after purchase. FEMA released preliminary updated flood maps for Ingham County in September 2026, so it's worth checking whether your property's zone is changing. Wind damage and wind-driven rain are typically covered under a homeowners policy. See flood insurance in Lansing and the new FEMA map.
What's included
- High-water line and damage documented before removal
- Category 3 handling with protective gear
- Pumping and extraction of floodwater and silt
- Removal of drywall and insulation above the flood line
- Cleaning and disinfection of framing and concrete
- Contents sorted and photographed with you
- Structural drying with daily readings
- Records formatted for flood and homeowners claims
What this costs
storm & flood damage restoration doesn't fit a single published price range, because the scope depends on what an on-site assessment of your specific property and situation finds. We give you a written scope and price after that free assessment, before any work starts.
When it needs doing
- Water entering through window wells or doors during heavy rain
- River or creek water reaching the yard, garage, or basement
- Silt and debris left behind after water recedes
- Wind-driven rain through a damaged roof or window
- Flooding in several rooms at once after a storm
Related resources
These go deeper on the questions that come up most on this job: