Heavy rain brings flooding woes for Sanford homeowners

SANFORD, Fla. - Video from Sunday night shows a look at the flooding inside a home on Palmetto Avenue in Sanford.

Homeowner Mikey Tomlinson said he came home to the flooding unexpectedly.

"We had picked up a swimming pool and it was kind of ironic because we get here and we already had a swimming pool in the yard unknown to us," he said. 

Heavy rain flooded his entire lawn and in-law suite in the back of his home, with water as high as one to three feet in some parts of the home. Tomlinson’s mother-in-law was inside when it happened.

"She said it was just rushing in. Of course, my 11-year-old son started running in with a bunch of towels, which was to no avail," he said.

Chad Starr is the owner of Emergency Water Damage Services. He said he received calls from two other homeowners in the area who were also dealing with flood issues after Sunday’s rain.

"Basically what happened is we had an unprecedented amount of rain in a short amount of time in an area that historically has been known to have water issues in this particular area," Starr said.

While Tomlinson’s home is drying out, he’s now looking at $10,000 to $15,000 in damage, and more rain in the forecast.

"There’s moisture behind the drywall, baseboard, and there’s going to be a mold issue as well," he said. 

The area of Sanford is not in a flood zone, so many homeowners, including Tomlinson, do not have flood insurance. Experts suggest homeowners use sandbags to help prevent any further water damage, with more rain expected throughout the week.

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