From August 11 to 17, 2026, round after round of storms parked over central Indiana — some areas east of Indianapolis measured more than a foot of rain. The White River rose to levels not seen since 1913, setting new records at Anderson and Noblesville, and flooding reached homes from Broad Ripple and Nora to Fishers, Muncie, Kokomo, and New Castle. If your home took on water, here's the honest version of what to do next: dry everything within 24–48 hours of the water receding, document it, and don't sign a big remediation contract while you're still wet and stressed. Many homes that dry out fast need no professional remediation at all.
Much of this event was river flooding, not just flash flooding, and that matters for mold. A flash flood comes and goes in hours; the White River, Fall Creek, and Cicero Creek crested slowly and kept some neighborhoods wet for days. Water that sat that long soaks deep into carpet pad, drywall, and insulation — those materials usually need to come out even if they look dry on the surface. Hard floors, concrete, and studs can typically be cleaned and dried. If your basement or crawl space flooded: pump or vac the water out as soon as the river lets you, get carpet pad and cardboard off the floor the same day, and run a dehumidifier hard for several days — not hours. Central Indiana homes often have sump pumps and crawl spaces; if your sump ran continuously or lost power during the storms, confirm it works before the next rain, and don't close up a crawl space until it's verifiably dry. A week later, trust your nose: a sour or musty smell means moisture is still trapped somewhere, and that's usually a bounded fix, not a whole-house job. Our cost guide shows what fair prices look like.
If you rent, two things are true at once. Your landlord is generally responsible for keeping the home habitable — Indiana law (Ind. Code § 32-31-8-5) requires landlords to deliver and maintain rental units in a safe, clean, and habitable condition, so water intrusion and the dampness that follows are generally the owner's to fix once you give notice. And your own belongings are generally your responsibility (renters insurance may help). Send that notice in writing today, keep the dated photos from step 4, and see our renters guide for what to say and how the process works.
Standing water you can't remove, sewage backup, a large soaked area, or water inside walls, ceilings, or a flooded finished basement. Acting fast is almost always cheaper than the mold that follows.
Water got in but you've removed it and drying is underway. Watch for musty smells or stains over the next week, and test only if a question remains.
A small amount of water, fully dried within a day, on hard non-porous surfaces. Keep it dry and ventilated — you very likely don't need to spend a dime.
After a widely reported flood, door-knockers and urgent phone pitches follow. Some are fine; some are not. The honest rule: no reputable company needs you to sign tonight. Get the water out first, take your photos, and compare at least two quotes for anything over a few hundred dollars. Our cost guide shows what mold and water-damage work typically costs, so you can spot a scare-quote when you see one.
It depends on how the water got in. Standard homeowners policies often exclude rising surface water — that's typically a separate flood policy, like NFIP, and many central Indiana homes outside the mapped floodplain don't carry one, so don't assume you have coverage either way. Sewer or drain backup usually needs its own rider — worth checking in older Indianapolis neighborhoods, where combined sewers can back up in exactly this kind of rain. On federal help: a federal emergency declaration was approved for Indiana on August 16, and the state has requested a major disaster declaration, which is what unlocks assistance for individual households. That decision hadn't been made when this page was written — check DisasterAssistance.gov for the current status for your county. Either way, the dated photos in step 4 are what make every claim easier. Your insurer makes the coverage call, not us — call them early and ask directly.
Mold can begin growing on damp materials within about 24–48 hours. The priority right now is drying — get standing water out, move air across wet surfaces, and run a dehumidifier. Speed matters more than testing in the first two days.
River flooding is different from a quick flash flood — water that sat for days soaks deep into porous materials. Hard surfaces can still be cleaned and dried, but carpet padding, drywall that wicked water up from the floor, and insulation that stayed wet for days usually need to come out. Start drying immediately either way, and get an honest read on the scope before committing to a big tear-out.
Indiana law (Ind. Code § 32-31-8-5) requires landlords to deliver and maintain rental units in a safe, clean, and habitable condition, so water intrusion and the dampness that follows are generally the owner's responsibility once you give notice. Notify your landlord in writing right away, keep dated photos, and keep copies of everything. Your own belongings are typically your responsibility — renters insurance may help. More in our renters guide.
Get an honest read before you spend anything. The free AI Mold Advisor will tell you if this is a dry-it-yourself situation — most storm cleanups are.
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