In the Wake of Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida, on September 28, 2022, as a devastating Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph. While Fort Myers and Lee County bore the worst of Ian's catastrophic storm surge and wind damage, we here in Manatee County experienced significant impacts — widespread flooding, extended power outages lasting three to seven days for many neighborhoods, downed trees, and substantial wind damage to homes throughout Bradenton, Palmetto, Ellenton, and our barrier islands.

In the days and weeks since Ian passed through, Rosco Plumbing has been running nonstop helping homeowners assess and repair storm-related plumbing damage. We have seen sewage backups from overwhelmed municipal sewer systems, water heaters destroyed by floodwater, burst pipes from pressure surges when water service was restored, and contaminated well systems. The scope of plumbing damage across Manatee County is significant, and many homeowners are still discovering problems weeks after the storm.

This guide is intended as a practical, step-by-step recovery resource for Bradenton homeowners dealing with plumbing damage from Hurricane Ian. We are writing this in real time — we are in the thick of recovery work alongside all of you — and we want to share what we know so you can make informed decisions about your own home's repairs.

Step 1: Safety First — Before You Touch Anything

Before you assess any plumbing damage, you need to confirm that your home is safe to enter and work in. If your home had any flooding — even a few inches — do not turn on any electrical circuits until an electrician has inspected the panel and cleared it. Water and electricity are a lethal combination, and water damage to electrical systems is not always visible. This is especially critical for water heaters, which have electrical connections that may have been submerged.

If you smell gas at any point, leave the house immediately, do not operate any switches or appliances, and call the gas company or 911 from outside. Gas lines can be damaged by storm forces and shifting foundations, and a gas leak in a closed-up house is extremely dangerous. Do not re-enter until the gas company has cleared the home.

If your home experienced sewage backup — and many homes in Bradenton did during Ian — the contaminated areas must be treated as a biohazard. Do not attempt cleanup without proper protective equipment: rubber boots, heavy-duty rubber gloves, an N95 mask or better, and eye protection. Children, elderly individuals, and anyone with a compromised immune system should not be in areas with sewage contamination. For significant contamination, hire a professional water damage restoration company — this is not a DIY situation.

Do not enter a flooded area until electricity is confirmed off at the breaker
If you smell gas, evacuate immediately and call the gas company
Treat any sewage-contaminated area as a biohazard
Wear rubber boots, gloves, N95 mask, and eye protection for cleanup
Do not let children or immunocompromised individuals near contaminated areas
Document all damage with photographs before any cleanup begins
Keep receipts for all cleanup supplies and contractor payments

Step 2: Assessing Your Water Supply

Once it is safe to be in your home, the first plumbing assessment should be your water supply system. If Manatee County Utilities has issued a boil-water notice for your area — which they did for portions of the county after Ian — follow that notice strictly until it is lifted. Boil all water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, and washing dishes for at least one minute at a rolling boil. Or use bottled water for everything until the notice is cleared.

Before turning your main water supply back on, close all faucets and valves inside the house. Then slowly open the main shutoff valve and listen. Walk through the house — is water running somewhere it should not be? Can you hear hissing or flowing water behind walls or under floors? If so, shut the main valve off immediately. You have a break in the system, and running water through a broken pipe will only add water damage to your storm damage.

If your water comes on normally with no unexpected sounds, run each faucet individually and check for discoloration, debris, or unusual odors. After a major storm and extended outage, the water distribution system can contain sediment, rust, and air pockets. Run each faucet for several minutes until the water clears. If the water remains discolored or has an unusual smell after several minutes of flushing, contact Manatee County Utilities — there may be a local main break or contamination issue.

For homes on private wells, do not use the water until the well has been tested. Floodwater can introduce bacteria, chemicals, and contaminants into the well casing and aquifer. Contact the Manatee County Health Department for well water testing, or hire a water testing service. The well may need to be shocked with chlorine and flushed before it is safe for use.

Step 3: Your Water Heater After the Storm

Your water heater deserves special attention after Hurricane Ian, particularly if any floodwater reached the unit. If the water line on your garage wall shows that floodwater reached the level of your water heater's controls — the thermostat, gas valve, or electrical junction box — the unit must be professionally inspected before it is turned back on. Do not attempt to relight a gas water heater or flip the breaker for an electric water heater that may have been flooded.

For gas water heaters, floodwater contamination of the gas valve is the primary safety concern. A corroded or debris-filled gas valve can fail to regulate properly, leading to overheating, gas leaks, or in worst cases, combustion. The pilot assembly, thermocouple, and burner area are also susceptible to contamination. In our post-Ian inspections, we have found that the vast majority of gas water heaters that experienced any floodwater contact need to be replaced — cleaning and reconditioning is not reliable enough for a gas appliance.

Electric water heaters are somewhat more forgiving if the flood level was low, but any unit where water reached the thermostat or electrical connections should be replaced. The wiring, thermostats, and heating elements can be damaged by contamination in ways that are not immediately apparent but can cause failure — including fire risk — weeks or months later. Our strong recommendation is: if floodwater touched it, replace it. The cost of a new water heater is far less than the risk of a failure.

Even if your water heater was not directly flooded, the extended power outage that many Bradenton homes experienced after Ian means the water in the tank sat stagnant for three to seven days. Stagnant water at less than 120 degrees can allow bacteria — including Legionella — to multiply. Before using hot water after an extended outage, turn the water heater up to its highest setting and let it fully heat the tank, then flush the tank through the drain valve until the water runs clear. Once flushed, return the thermostat to your normal setting (typically 120 degrees).

Rosco's Tip

Rosco's Tip: Insurance and Your Water Heater

If your water heater needs replacement due to Ian, document everything. Photograph the unit, the flood line, and any visible damage. Save the manufacturer's label or take a photo of it — your insurer will need the model number, serial number, and installation date (if known). Keep the old unit until your insurance adjuster has inspected it or given you approval to dispose of it. We provide itemized invoices that include the information insurers need for claim processing.

Step 4: Checking Drains and Sewer Lines

Ian's flooding overwhelmed storm drains and sanitary sewer systems throughout Manatee County, and many homes experienced sewage backup through floor drains, toilets, and shower drains. If your home had sewage backup, the priority is biohazard cleanup (professional remediation is strongly recommended for significant contamination), followed by a plumbing assessment to ensure the sewer line is clear and intact.

Even if you did not have visible backup, your sewer lateral — the pipe connecting your home to the main sewer line — may have been compromised by Ian. Storm forces, soil shifting, debris intrusion, and root damage (roots are displaced by saturated soil) can all affect the integrity of your sewer line. Signs of a compromised sewer lateral include slow drains throughout the house, gurgling sounds from drains or toilets, sewage odors inside or outside the home, and wet areas in the yard above the sewer line path.

We strongly recommend a camera inspection of your sewer lateral after any major flooding event. This involves inserting a small video camera into the sewer cleanout and running it through the entire length of the pipe to the main sewer connection. The camera reveals cracks, offsets, root intrusion, debris blockages, and any other damage that may not be apparent from the surface. The cost of a camera inspection is typically $150 to $300 — a small price for the peace of mind and early detection of problems that can become much more expensive if they are left unaddressed.

Step 5: Dealing with Insurance Claims

Navigating the insurance claim process after Hurricane Ian is going to be challenging for many Manatee County homeowners. Florida's insurance market was already in crisis before Ian, with multiple carriers leaving the state and Citizens Property Insurance — the state's insurer of last resort — growing to unprecedented size. The volume of claims from Ian will strain every insurer, and prompt, well-documented claims will be processed faster than vague or incomplete ones.

For plumbing-related damage, your insurance claim should include: dated photographs of all damaged plumbing equipment (water heater, pipes, fixtures), photographs showing the flood level on walls and equipment, receipts for any emergency repairs you have already made, a written estimate from a licensed plumber for all needed repairs, and your plumber's contact information so the adjuster can ask technical questions. Rosco Plumbing provides detailed, itemized estimates that break out each component of the repair, which insurers prefer to lump-sum quotes.

Be aware that flood damage and wind damage may be covered by different policies. Standard homeowner's insurance typically covers wind damage but excludes flood damage, which requires a separate flood insurance policy (usually through the National Flood Insurance Program). If you have both wind and water damage, you may need to file claims with two different insurers. Document the cause of each piece of damage as clearly as possible — a water heater destroyed by wind-driven debris has a different coverage path than one destroyed by rising floodwater.

Do not delay filing your claim. Most policies require prompt notification, and some have strict deadlines. You do not need to have a complete estimate for all repairs before filing — you can file the initial claim and supplement it with additional documentation as repairs are quoted and completed. Make emergency repairs as needed to prevent further damage (this is actually a policy requirement — you have a duty to mitigate), but save all receipts and take before-and-after photos.

Step 6: Prioritizing Repairs

With demand for plumbing services at an all-time high across Manatee County after Ian, you may need to prioritize which repairs are done first. Here is how we recommend triaging your plumbing recovery. Tier one is safety-critical repairs: gas line issues, live electrical connections near water, contaminated water supply, and sewage backup remediation. These cannot wait and should be addressed immediately regardless of insurance status.

Tier two is functionality-critical repairs: restoring hot water (water heater replacement or repair), fixing broken supply lines that prevent you from using water, and clearing sewer blockages that prevent waste from leaving the home. These repairs are needed within days to restore basic livability. Tier three is damage-prevention repairs: addressing slow leaks, compromised sewer laterals, and corroded fittings that are functional but at risk of failure. These can typically wait a few weeks but should not be put off indefinitely.

Tier four is restoration and improvement: replacing storm-damaged fixtures, upgrading to more resilient systems (like a backwater valve or elevated water heater), and addressing cosmetic damage to plumbing-related areas. These can be scheduled as insurance payments come through and contractor availability allows. We are working through all four tiers simultaneously for our customers and prioritizing based on safety and livability.

Hurricane Ian has tested all of us in Manatee County, and recovery will take time. But Bradenton is a resilient community, and we will rebuild stronger than before. If you are dealing with plumbing damage from Ian — whether it is a flooded water heater, a sewage backup, broken pipes, or something else entirely — Rosco Plumbing is here for you. We have been serving this community since 1983, through storms and sunshine alike. Call us at (941) 345-2464. We will get through this together.

After Hurricane Ian: Plumbing Recovery Steps for Bradenton