📞 (813) 730-8940
📞 (813) 730-8940
St. Augustine's own flood hazard documentation states plainly that 90 percent of residents live in a floodplain, and that as the Oldest City in the United States, the city has aging and undersized infrastructure. The city maintains a documented flood history stretching back decades, December 1997 widespread flooding, a July 1998 flood that closed city streets, a September 1999 flood affecting several streets and homes, Tropical Storm Gabrielle in September 2001 causing 900,000 dollars in damages, a 2003 flash flood, Tropical Storm Fay in 2008, and serious May 2009 flooding from heavy rain combined with an above-normal high tide. In October 2016, Hurricane Matthew caused flooding throughout Davis Shores, Lincolnville, and the Historic Districts, and a year later in September 2017, Hurricane Irma flooded homes throughout the city even without a direct hit, with the city's historic preservation officer noting damage to downtown and historic buildings occurred without the storm even striking directly. We are a Florida state-licensed mold remediation team.
St. Augustine's relationship with flooding is documented with unusual specificity for a Florida city, reflecting both the seriousness with which local officials treat the issue and the sheer frequency of flood events the city has experienced. The city's flood hazard page states directly that flooding is one of the most common risks to Florida residents living in floodplains, and in St. Augustine, 90 percent of residents live in a floodplain, an extraordinarily high proportion that the city links to its identity as the Oldest City in the United States, with the corresponding reality of aging and undersized infrastructure that predates modern stormwater engineering standards.
The city's documented flood timeline reads like a multi-decade record of recurring events: heavy rains in December 1997 produced widespread flooding across northeast Florida, a flood in July 1998 closed city streets, September 1999 flooding affected several streets and homes, Tropical Storm Gabrielle in September 2001 brought 6.5 inches of rain and caused 900,000 dollars in property damage while closing numerous roads, an August 2003 flash flood made roads impassable and flooded at least three St. Johns County homes, Tropical Storm Fay caused heavy flooding in August 2008, and heavy rainfall combined with an above-normal high tide caused serious flooding in May 2009. This pattern continued into the more recent past, with Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 causing flooding throughout Davis Shores, Lincolnville, and the Historic Districts.
Perhaps most tellingly, Hurricane Irma in September 2017 demonstrated that St. Augustine doesn't need a direct hit to experience serious flood damage. The city's historic preservation officer specifically noted that significant damage occurred in downtown and historic buildings without the storm even making landfall directly on the city, a reflection of how the combination of storm surge, tidal influence, and the protective barrier island's reduced wetland buffering, as filled-in wetlands and trails have developed over the island's history, leaves St. Augustine vulnerable even to storms that track elsewhere. For homeowners throughout the city, particularly in Davis Shores, Lincolnville, and the Historic Districts that have been specifically named in flood event documentation, professional mold inspection following any of these documented events, or any future storm regardless of direct landfall status, is a clear priority given this extensively documented history.
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Most jobs range from $2,000 to $7,000. Historic District and Davis Shores properties with documented flood event history often fall in the $3,000 to $7,000 range given construction age and the city's extensively documented flood timeline. Free on-site inspection and written estimate before any work begins.
No, living in a floodplain means your property is in an area statistically modeled to have meaningful flood probability, not that flooding is guaranteed for every property every year. However, given that St. Augustine's documentation shows flood events occurring roughly every few years across multiple decades, often without requiring a direct hurricane landfall, this 90 percent figure does mean the vast majority of St. Augustine properties share at least some level of documented flood exposure, which makes periodic professional moisture assessment a reasonable practice regardless of whether your specific property has experienced visible flooding recently.
Hurricane Irma's impact on St. Augustine in 2017 is the clearest documented example of why direct landfall isn't necessary for serious flood damage here. The city's own historic preservation officer specifically noted significant damage to downtown and historic buildings during Irma despite the storm not making a direct hit. This reflects the combination of factors that make St. Augustine vulnerable, including reduced wetland buffering as the barrier island has developed, tidal dynamics in Matanzas Bay, and the city's aging infrastructure. If your home is in Davis Shores, Lincolnville, the Historic Districts, or any other documented flood-affected area and experienced any water intrusion during Irma or other storms, professional inspection is worth considering regardless of whether the storm technically made direct landfall.
Serving all of St. Augustine including Davis Shores, Lincolnville, the Historic District, Anastasia Island, and all of St. Johns County. Same-day appointments available. 24/7 emergency response.