Water Damage in Pennsylvania

Partner coverage for water damage in Pennsylvania includes 1,407 ZIP codes, with local pages for Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Reading, Bethlehem, Easton, Norristown. Call with your ZIP to confirm a company serves your address.

Heavy storms, including the remnants of Ida in 2021, have flooded basements across southeastern Pennsylvania. Older combined sewers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can back up during heavy rain. The Susquehanna, Delaware, Schuylkill and Allegheny river valleys have long histories of flooding during tropical storms and snowmelt. Shared walls and century-old drain lines mean leaks and backups can affect neighbors too.

In Philadelphia: The remnants of Ida in 2021 flooded basements and neighborhoods along the Schuylkill River, including Manayunk and Eastwick. In Pittsburgh: Combined sewers in older neighborhoods back up during heavy rain, and ALCOSAN is in the middle of a long-term upgrade to reduce overflows. In Allentown: Heavy storms, like Ida's remnants in 2021, overwhelm drainage and flood basements and low streets. In Scranton: The Lackawanna River flooded neighborhoods in 2006 and during Tropical Storm Lee in 2011.

Stone and brick homes with plaster walls are common, as are cast-iron and clay sewer laterals. Older homes may also contain asbestos or lead paint, which must be handled carefully during demolition.

Pennsylvania requires home improvement contractors to register with the Attorney General's office under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA). The registration number must appear on contracts.