Water Damage Restoration in Kern County, CA

Which Kern County cities and ZIP codes do you take requests from?

Requests for water damage restoration in Kern County come from across the county's ZIP codes. Bakersfield has its own city page. Other towns include Oildale, Delano, Wasco, Shafter, Taft, Arvin, Tehachapi and Ridgecrest. A restoration team confirms whether they can reach your street when they call, because restoration teams differ on how far they drive.

Kern is a big county. It runs from the valley floor over the Tehachapi Mountains and east into the Mojave Desert. A burst pipe in Bakersfield and one in Ridgecrest are different calls, and the ZIP finder shows the codes for each. Nearby areas have their own pages: Los Angeles County, the Central Coast and Fresno County.

Is the Kern River dry, and can Kern County still flood?

Yes to both. Wikipedia says most of the Kern River is diverted into canals for farms and city water, leaving about 30 miles of riverbed through Bakersfield dry. A dry channel does not remove flood history. Water can still show up from storms, canals or broken pipes.

The same article says the Bakersfield area was once tule-reed marshland, and that floods in 1861 swept away the first settlement, founded the year before by Christian Bohna. The county article adds that early settlers found the valley swampy and drained it for farming with hand-dug canals.

If you live near a canal, the riverbed or a low field edge, ask the county where flood maps and drainage records are kept. Water that comes in from outside is not a plumbing event. The IICRC S500 standard puts rising outside water in Category 3, which needs professional handling.

How does Kern County valley heat cause water damage?

Heat works the air conditioner hard, and a stressed system can leak. Wikipedia says Bakersfield has 112 days a year at 90 degrees or above and 36 days at 100 or above. A clogged condensate drain or a cracked pan can then drip into a ceiling or wall for weeks before anyone looks up.

Rain is the opposite problem. Wikipedia puts Bakersfield's rainfall at 6.36 inches a year, mostly in winter. A roof that rarely sees water can fail the first time a real storm arrives, so the first wet week often reveals the weak spot.

Our guides on ceiling water damage, roof leaks after storms and slab leaks list the warning signs. If your home sits on a slab, a pipe leak may show up in the floor and not the ceiling.

Does it matter which part of Kern County I live in?

It can. The county covers three very different landscapes, and each one fails in its own way. Valley-floor homes face heat and canals, mountain homes face freezes, and desert homes face dry air with sudden storms. Use the table to find your zone and the first thing to check.

Restoration teams differ on which of these areas they cover, so say where you are when you call.

What does Kern's oil-field history mean for my house?

Not much about your plumbing, but it explains why homes here vary so much in age. Wikipedia says the hand-dug Kern River discovery well came in 1899, and Oil City, Oil Center and Oildale followed. Neighborhoods grew in waves, so the house next door can have different pipes, roofing and repairs than yours.

The county article adds that the Midway-Sunset field near Maricopa was found in 1894 and is now the third largest in the United States. The 1910 Lakeview Gusher spilled about nine million barrels over 18 months. Wikipedia gives no build year for any neighborhood, so it will not tell you how old your own house is.

Ask your seller, inspector or county records for the build date and any past water repairs. Older plumbing needs more checking, and a restoration team will ask what you know. Owners of shops and warehouses can read commercial water damage.

Can an earthquake cause water damage in Kern County?

Yes. Strong shaking can crack supply lines, topple water heaters and break storage tanks. Bakersfield's own history shows it. Wikipedia says the July 21, 1952 earthquake collapsed a water tower and set off a flash flood, and that fears of damage to the Friant-Kern Canal followed an aftershock.

Kern County's article says severe earthquakes have struck throughout its recorded history, including the 1857 Fort Tejon quake. If shaking has just happened, check for gas smells first, then shut off the main water valve and look at the water heater.

Read water heater leaks and burst pipe damage for what to do next. Find your valve before you need it.

Will insurance pay for flood water or a leak in Kern County?

The source of the water decides it. The Insurance Information Institute says standard homeowners and renters policies leave flood out, and FEMA makes the same point about most homeowners cover. People who want flood protection buy it separately. A sudden leak in your own plumbing follows different rules.

According to the NAIC, a plumbing failure or roof leak is typically covered, but ground water and rain runoff are not. The Triple-I says sewer backups need their own endorsement or product. Canal overflow across a yard belongs in the flood bucket, while a split supply line belongs in the plumbing bucket.

Phone your insurer before signing a work order, and take photos first. Our insurance claim guide lists what to record, and restoration cost explains the price ranges published by Fixr and Bob Vila.

What should I do in the first 24 to 48 hours?

Move fast on the water, then on the drying. The EPA says water-damaged areas and items should be dry within 24 to 48 hours if you want to prevent mold, and that indoor humidity should stay under 60 percent, with 30 to 50 percent ideal. Waiting only lets the damage spread.

1. Close the main water valve. Cut power to wet rooms only when you can do it safely.
2. Take photos and video of everything wet before you move a thing.
3. Tell your insurer what happened and ask what paperwork it wants.
4. Ring a restoration team and ask how they measure moisture and log the drying.
5. Keep clear of moving outside water. Ready.gov says six inches of it can knock you over.

The emergency page goes further. If a musty smell or staining has begun, see mold after water damage. Restoration teams differ on coverage, so confirm they will come to your address.

Sources: Kern County, California and Bakersfield, California (Wikipedia); IICRC S500; Triple-I, disasters covered by homeowners insurance; FEMA, flood insurance; NAIC, homeowners insurance; Red Cross, frozen pipes; EPA, mold and moisture; Ready.gov, floods; Fixr and Bob Vila (restoration cost).