Water Damage, Mold and Restoration Companies in the Richmond Area

What Makes Richmond Different

Richmond sits at the fall line of the James River, where the river drops over rocks and runs right through the city. The river has flooded downtown many times, and Hurricane Agnes in 1972 put much of Shockoe Bottom under water. A floodwall now guards parts of downtown, but heavy rain from tropical storms can still flood low streets and creeks, as Tropical Storm Gaston did in Shockoe Bottom in 2004.

Summers are long, hot and humid. Many suburban homes sit over vented crawlspaces, where damp summer air condenses on cool ducts and floor framing and feeds mold. A vapor barrier on the crawlspace floor, sealed ducts and a working dehumidifier do a lot of good. The red clay soil holds water against foundations, so keep gutters clean and send downspout water well away from the house.

Winters are mostly mild, but hard cold snaps do come, and pipes in crawlspaces and exterior walls can freeze and split. Ice storms bring down trees and power lines. Neighborhoods like the Fan, the Museum District and Church Hill are full of homes built long before 1978, so test for lead paint and asbestos before you tear anything out.