Use address-specific flood information
For Boston flood planning, start with the City’s Knowing Your Flood Risk guidance and the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Review the map for your address rather than assuming every property in a neighborhood has the same exposure. A planning map is separate from an assessment of damage inside your building.
If flooding is happening now
Follow official emergency instructions and stay out of floodwater. The CDC advises against walking or driving through flooded areas. Our phone number connects you with a restoration provider to discuss property work; it is not an emergency-response or municipal reporting line.
Describe the building and the water source
When discussing an assessment, give the Boston address, affected floor or basement, rooms and materials involved, and what you know about where the water entered. Mention sewage or outdoor water at the start. Ask whether the provider handles this type of damage, when an assessment could happen, and what charges apply.
Separate public reporting from indoor cleanup
A suspected sewer backup may require a public-system report as well as indoor cleanup. Follow Boston Water and Sewer Commission’s reporting guidance. Ask the restoration provider whether a plumber or another specialist must address the cause separately. See the contaminated-water cleanup questions before authorizing work.
Plan the assessment and keep records
Ask how the provider will assess wet materials, document drying, and distinguish cleanup from repairs. Confirm access and approval contacts for shared or commercial buildings. Use the property-manager packet to organize those details, or explore commercial restoration questions. Ask your insurance provider what your policy covers and what documentation it needs.
Make your call notes →