Is flood water really “category 3”?

Yes — once water has been on the ground it picks up soil, sewage overflow, fuel and chemicals. Everything porous it touches follows sewage rules: remove, do not dry-and-keep.

Standard insurance does not cover this, right?

Correct — overland flooding needs a separate flood policy (NFIP or private). Sewer backup riders only cover backup through your lines, not rising outdoor water.

How soon after the water recedes should cleanup start?

Immediately. Contamination load and mold clock both start when the water arrives, not when it leaves.

Flood Cleanup in Westchester County, NY — Storm & River Flooding

After a flood: the checklist that matters

Safety before salvage — do not enter rooms with standing water until power is off; floodwater is category 3 by default.
Photograph everything before moving a single item: water lines on walls, damaged contents, the outside grade.
Call your insurer and FEMA-line resources early — in declared events, documentation deadlines matter.
Ventilate and start drying within 24–48 hours, or mold joins the problem.

What flood cleanup involves

Muck-out (silt and debris), removal of flood-wicked porous materials, pressure-washing and disinfection of what remains, then structural drying. Because floodwater is contaminated, the scope is closer to sewage cleanup than to a clean-water dry-out — plan the budget accordingly.

Westchester flood patterns

Saw Mill River and Bronx River corridors, coastal New Rochelle and Mamaroneck, and any street where storm drains meet a heavy cell — the county floods in known places. If you live in one, a backwater valve, a sump with battery backup and elevated utilities are not optional extras.