📞 (813) 730-8940
📞 (813) 730-8940
Marathon experienced some of the most severe documented flooding of any Florida Keys community during Hurricane Wilma in 2005, when water on the gulfside of Marathon rose to 5 to 8 feet above mean sea level by 11 AM. One Marathon gulfside resident described feeling calm because the winds had died down, before receiving a call from a neighbor warning that water was pouring into the neighborhood, then going outside to find water up to their waist. Marathon's sea level rise projections, based on the Southeast Florida Regional Compact on Climate Change, anticipate 6 to 10 inches of rise by 2030, 14 to 26 inches by 2060, and 31 to 61 inches by 2100. Following the 2015 Perils of Flood state legislation, Marathon has been actively incorporating these projections into its comprehensive planning, including considerations for raising roads affected by nuisance flooding. We are a Florida state-licensed mold remediation team.
Marathon's experience during Hurricane Wilma in 2005 illustrates one of the more dramatic documented flood sequences in Florida Keys history. As Wilma's storm surge developed from the Gulf of Mexico side, water on Marathon's gulfside and the broader Middle Keys reached 5 to 8 feet above mean sea level by 11 AM. The danger of this surge was compounded by its timing relative to the storm's winds, one Marathon gulfside resident specifically described feeling calm because the winds had died down, before a neighbor's warning call alerted them that water was pouring into the neighborhood, and stepping outside revealed water already up to their waist. This account illustrates a critical and often underappreciated danger pattern, storm surge flooding can arrive and intensify even after a storm's winds have already subsided, catching residents off guard if they associate danger primarily with wind rather than water.
Marathon's forward-looking flood planning is built around specific sea level rise projections from the Southeast Florida Regional Compact on Climate Change, which the city has adopted for its own comprehensive planning purposes. These projections anticipate 6 to 10 inches of sea level rise by 2030, 14 to 26 inches by 2060, and a substantial 31 to 61 inches by 2100. Following Florida's 2015 Perils of Flood legislation, which requires local governments to consider future flood risk from storm surge, nuisance flooding, and sea level rise in comprehensive planning, Marathon has been actively engaged in translating these projections into concrete actions, including evaluating road-raising projects to address areas currently affected by nuisance flooding.
For Marathon homeowners, particularly those on the gulfside areas that experienced Wilma's most severe 5 to 8 foot surge, or in any area the city has identified as affected by current nuisance flooding, this combination of documented historical surge severity and the city's own active acknowledgment of substantial future sea level rise means professional mold inspection is a particularly important consideration. Properties that experienced the 2005 Wilma surge and haven't had comprehensive moisture assessment since represent meaningful candidates for inspection, as do any properties in areas the city has identified for road-raising or other flood mitigation given documented current nuisance flooding conditions.
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Most jobs range from $2,500 to $8,500. Gulfside properties with documented Hurricane Wilma surge history often fall in the $3,500 to $8,500 range given the severity of the 5-8 foot surge this area experienced. Free on-site inspection and written estimate before any work begins.
Wilma's 2005 surge reaching 5 to 8 feet above mean sea level on Marathon's gulfside represents one of the most severe documented flood events for this specific area. If your property experienced this surge and didn't receive comprehensive professional mold remediation at the time, two decades is more than enough time for any undetected mold from that event to have developed extensively. Given the documented severity and the specific account of water arriving even after winds had calmed, catching some residents by surprise, this historical event remains highly relevant for any gulfside Marathon property with that history.
Marathon's adoption of specific sea level rise projections through 2100, following the 2015 Perils of Flood legislation, reflects the city's effort to plan infrastructure and development decisions around long-term flood risk rather than just historical storm data. While 2100 might seem distant, the nearer-term projections, 6 to 10 inches by 2030, are relevant within a much shorter timeframe and are already factored into the city's current planning for things like road elevation projects. For property owners, this means nuisance flooding that may currently seem minor is documented to be on a worsening trajectory, making early attention to moisture management and potential elevation mitigation more valuable than waiting for conditions to become more severe.
Serving all of Marathon including Vaca Key, Boot Key, the gulfside and oceanside areas, and all of Monroe County. Same-day appointments available. 24/7 emergency response.