Orlando families face costly repairs after Hurricane Milton flooding

Flighting floodwater inside homes from hurricane

Restoration service experts warn of mold growth after flooding from Hurricane Milton.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Many Orlando-area families are still dealing with damage to their homes from flooding caused by Hurricane Milton.

Parts of College Park have faced drainage issues for years. The latest incident, due to Hurricane Milton, left several homes on one street flooded, prompting residents to seek help from remediation companies for repairs.

Brandon Brown, who has experienced flooding before, said this isn’t the first time his home has been affected.

"Two years ago, we flooded during Ian, and that was worse. We had about two feet of water, which made it a lot tougher," Brown said.

After that flood, Brown made repairs and took precautions, like adding sandbags, tarps, and updating the drainage system.

"We moved everything from ground level wherever we could. The whole master bedroom went into the living room because it’s two feet up," he said.

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However, those efforts weren’t enough when Hurricane Milton struck.

"Eight to ten inches of water got into the garage — a pretty good amount. There’s moisture in every wall and in all parts of the drywall. Our bigger fear is mold growth in the walls," Brown said.

Worried about hidden damage, Brown called Ready 5 Restoration Services.

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Brandon Brown, of Orlando, faces costly repairs to his College Park home due to flooding from Hurricane Milton.

"You can see how the doors are swollen shut, and that wasn’t the case before we left," he said.

Chris Try of Ready 5 Restoration Services warned that mold can begin to grow within 24-48 hours in high humidity. He said fixing homes like Brown's requires removing and replacing materials like drywall and baseboards.

"With an event like this, there’s a lot more demolition required, which increases the cost, along with the equipment needed to dry the structure," Try explained. "It could cost $1,000, $10,000, or even more."

Experts estimate repairs to Brown’s home will take three to four days.

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