Hurricane Helene reached the Central Savannah River Area as a Category 1 storm in late September 2024. In Richmond County the damage was mostly wind and fallen trees, with flooding in low-lying places. This guide sets out what to photograph, what to keep and when to call for extraction after a storm like that.
Key takeaways
- Helene reached the Central Savannah River Area as a Category 1 storm in late September 2024, and local reporting described road and creek flooding across the area.
- In Richmond County the damage was mostly wind and fallen trees, with flooding in low-lying places, so a roof opening is a more likely source than ground water for most houses.
- Photographs of the water, the openings and the debris should be taken from a safe spot before anything is moved.
- Water that came in through a roof can stay in the insulation for days, so a stain that appears later is a reason to call again.
- A fallen tree on a house is removed by a tree service before the water work begins, because the structure has to be safe to enter.
- Water that came from outside is treated as contaminated until it has been checked, and it is cleared before any drying starts.
What did Helene actually do in Richmond County?
The storm's damage in Richmond County was mostly from wind and fallen trees. Flooding was reported in low-lying places, and local reporting described road and creek flooding across the wider area.
Hurricane Helene reached the Central Savannah River Area in late September 2024 as a Category 1 storm. Local reporting described road and creek flooding across the area, and it described wind-driven tree damage as the larger story. Those two patterns mean that many homes saw damage from above, through the roof, rather than from the ground.
The people who called after the storm mostly described water that had come in through a broken roof section, a window or a wall after a limb or a trunk had broken the outer layer of the house. A smaller number described water rising through a crawl space or a lower floor after saturated ground could no longer drain. The two need different first steps, and this guide treats them separately.
What should I photograph before I clean anything up?
Photograph every room that was wet, the water line on the walls, any opening in the roof or walls, the fallen debris and each damaged item. Take wide shots first and close shots after, with the date and room recorded for each.
A wide photograph of each room shows where the water sat and how it relates to the rest of the house. A close photograph of the water line on a wall shows how high it rose, and a photograph of the opening shows where the water came in. Photograph the outside too, if it is safe, because a tree or a limb is often the only clear evidence of how the damage began.
Keep the photographs in their original form, and make a second copy in another place. A list of damaged items should be made at the same time, and each item should be photographed before it is discarded. Those records are what make a later claim or repair easier to explain.
| Item | Why keep it | When it can go |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs of rooms and openings | They show the state of the house before cleanup | Never discarded; keep the originals |
| Items that were wet | The insurer or repair contractor may ask to see them | After they are listed and photographed, and the technician has recorded them |
| Debris from the tree or roof | It shows how the opening was made | After the tree service and the technician have seen it |
| Receipts for temporary covering | They support the cost of protecting the house | Once the claim is closed |
| Written notes of the first steps | They show the house was protected while help was called | Never discarded |
When should I call for extraction after a storm?
Call as soon as water is standing on a floor, dripping through a ceiling or rising through a crawl space. The line is answered at any hour, and a technician is sent as soon as one is free. Standing water should not be left in place while waiting.
Standing water on a floor is the first thing to deal with, because it soaks into carpet, pad and the subfloor while it sits. A ceiling that drips or bulges is the second, because the water above it can fall suddenly. Water that is rising through a crawl space or a lower floor is urgent for the same reason.
Extraction is the step that removes the free water. It is done before any drying, and the technician will check whether the water came from above or below so that the first steps match the source. No arrival time is given on the phone, but the call is answered and the first instructions are given while you wait.
How do I cover a roof opening before the roofer comes?
Only cover an opening from a position that is safe. A technician or a roofer is the right person to place a temporary cover, because a damaged roof can give way and a loose tarp can pull free in wind.
A roof opened by a tree or a limb can be unstable, and a section that looks solid may not bear weight. Climbing onto the roof to place a tarp is one of the most common ways people are hurt after a storm, so the cover should be placed by someone who can work on the roof safely.
Once the opening is covered, the water inside the house still has to be removed and dried. A temporary cover keeps more rain out, but it does not dry the attic or the ceilings below. The technician reads the attic through the covered area and records the readings before any ceiling is opened.
How can I tell whether water came from above or below?
Water from a roof tends to show first in the ceilings and upper walls, while water from the ground shows at the lowest point of the house. The water line on the walls and the readings at the floor edge help show which way the water came.
Roof water runs down through the insulation and along the framing, and it reaches the ceiling and the upper walls first. Its stain often appears days after the storm. Ground water comes up through the floor or in at the lowest threshold, and it leaves a water line low on the walls and a damp crawl space.
A technician reads both the upper and lower parts of the house. The answer is written in the record, and it decides the order in which the water is removed and the materials are dried.
Read the walls in person if you can. A water line that sits low on the walls, with a dry area above it, points to water from below. A line that runs down from a ceiling, with the wall wet below a single point, points to water from above. The line on the wall is the clearest clue most owners will have, and it should be photographed before anything is wiped away.
What about a stain that appears after the storm is over?
A stain that appears days or weeks after a storm usually means water is still moving through insulation or framing above the stain. Call again rather than painting over it, because the paint can hide water that is still spreading.
Insulation holds water for a long time, and it can release it slowly into the ceiling below. A stain that grows after a rain is a sign that an active path remains, and the readings will show whether that path is still wet.
Do not paint or seal a stain until the technician has read it. The record of the stain's size and the date it was first seen is part of the file, and it shows whether the damage is recent or from an earlier leak.
What should I do about a fallen tree in or on the house?
Do not cut or move a tree that rests on the house. Call a tree service for the tree, and call the water line once the house is safe to enter. The two jobs are sequenced so that the tree work does not spread the water or damage the structure further.
A tree that is leaning on the roof can shift when it is disturbed, and a cut limb can drop on a person below. Keep people out of the area under the tree until the tree service has made it safe, and keep pets away as well.
Once the tree is removed, the opening it made is covered and the water inside is handled. The technician can show the tree service where the opening is and where the water went, so the removal is planned around the wet areas.
What should I do about a low room or a crawl space that took water?
Water that rose through a low room or a crawl space needs the same first steps as any standing water, plus care around the soil and the subfloor. Keep the water from being pushed further into the house, and leave the space to the technician once the access is confirmed safe.
A low room that took water from the ground often has mud on its floor and a water line on its walls. The mud is removed before drying, because it holds moisture against the surfaces and can keep the subfloor wet. The water line is photographed, because it shows how high the water rose and which walls it reached.
A crawl space that held water after the storm should be entered only by a technician. The joists and the subfloor are read from below, the standing water is removed from the low points, and air is moved through the space where access allows. The space is recorded before the floor above is checked.
Frequently asked questions
Was all of Augusta hit equally by Helene?
No. The damage was uneven across the area. In Richmond County it was mostly wind and fallen trees, with flooding in low-lying places, and each house has to be read on its own findings.
Should I wait for the storm to be over before calling?
Call as soon as water is inside the house or an opening is found. The line is answered at any hour, and the first instructions are given on the phone while the crew is on its way.
Is water from the creek safe to touch?
Treat it as contaminated. Water from outside can carry mud, debris and material from elsewhere. Wear gloves, keep children and pets away and let the technician decide how it should be handled.
Do I need a permit to repair storm damage?
It depends on the repair and the address. The Augusta-Richmond County government issues building permits for its consolidated area, and Hephzibah and Blythe have their own city governments. Ask the office that covers the address before any structure is rebuilt.
What goes into the file for an insurer?
The photographs, the technician's notes, the moisture readings, the list of removed items and any temporary covering. Those records show what the storm did and how the damage was handled.
Should I pump out a flooded crawl space myself?
No. A crawl space is tight, and standing water near power or in a damaged space can be dangerous. Let the technician enter once the access and the power have been checked.
This guide is general information for Richmond County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.