For North State homeowners
For water damage restoration in Chico, CA and the North State, stop the water, photograph the damage and begin drying within 24 to 48 hours. Flood water is excluded from standard homeowners policies. We take requests from Butte, Sutter, Yuba, Nevada and Del Norte counties.
On this page (9)
- Which North State cities and ZIP codes do you take requests from?
- How do the main North State places compare?
- Do Chico's creeks and the Sacramento River threaten homes?
- What did the 1955 flood do to Yuba City?
- What happens to homes after a wildfire in Butte County?
- What water risks do Crescent City and the Del Norte coast face?
- Will insurance cover flood water in the North State?
- What should renters and students in Chico do after a leak?
- What should I do first when water gets in?
Which North State cities and ZIP codes do you take requests from?
Requests for water damage restoration in Chico come in from across Butte, Sutter, Yuba, Nevada and Del Norte counties. That covers Chico, Oroville, Paradise, Gridley and Biggs, Yuba City and its neighbor Marysville, and Crescent City on the coast. Coverage depends on the restoration team, who will tell you on the phone whether your road is in range.
Wikipedia puts the Yuba City metro area, which takes in all of Sutter and Yuba counties, at 164,138 people. The region is long and thin, so a restoration team in the valley may not serve the redwood coast. If you live in Nevada County, near Truckee for example, ask about distance first.
Find your county in the ZIP finder: Butte, Sutter, Yuba, Nevada and Del Norte. Next door are Sacramento County, the North Bay and Stockton and Modesto.
How do the main North State places compare?
They differ more than the shared name suggests. Chico is a college town on the valley floor, Yuba City is a river city with a levee story, and Crescent City is a harbor town at the far northwest corner. Each has different weather and a different map of where water collects.
| Place | 2020 census | County | Water detail from Wikipedia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chico | 101,475 | Butte | Two creeks and a flood channel cross the city |
| Yuba City | 70,117 | Sutter | Feather River borders the city on the east |
| Butte County | 211,632 | Seat: Oroville | Drained by the Feather and Sacramento rivers |
| Del Norte County | 27,743 | Seat: Crescent City | 37 miles of Pacific coastline |
Counts and details come from the Chico, Yuba City, Butte County and Del Norte County articles.
Do Chico's creeks and the Sacramento River threaten homes?
They can matter at the edges. Wikipedia says Chico sits at the northeast edge of the Sacramento Valley, with the Sacramento River 5 miles to the west. Big Chico Creek, Little Chico Creek and a flood channel called Lindo Channel all cross town, and the channel feeds the river.
That map suggests that low spots near a creek deserve a check, but the article records no flood event, so look up your own parcel on FEMA's flood maps. Wikipedia says the terrain is mostly flat, with hills beginning at the eastern city limits.
The weather is plain enough. Wikipedia reports an average of 27 inches of rain a year, mostly in January and February, with tule fog on some autumn and winter mornings. A foggy, damp house dries slowly, so aim for the humidity range the EPA gives: below 60 percent and ideally 30 to 50.
If creek or river water gets inside, the IICRC S500 standard treats it as Category 3, a job for professionals. Read flood damage restoration and water damage categories and classes for what that means.
What did the 1955 flood do to Yuba City?
It was one of the region's worst disasters. Wikipedia says storms in December 1955 dropped torrential rain across Northern California, pushing every river in the area over its banks and through its levees. The Christmas Eve levee break at Yuba City killed 38 people and heavily damaged downtown.
The article adds that 550 to 600 Sutter County residents were rescued from the floodwater by helicopter. Yuba City sits near the confluence of the Yuba and Feather rivers, and the Feather borders the city on the east.
The city is 40 miles north of Sacramento, and Wikipedia says its wet season runs from mid-October to mid-April under frequent tule fog. A home bought in the Yuba-Sutter area deserves a flood history check: ask the county, the seller and your insurance agent. Our guide to buying a water-damaged house lists the questions.
What happens to homes after a wildfire in Butte County?
Burned neighborhoods get rebuilt, and rebuilt houses need the same water care as any other. Wikipedia says the Camp Fire, which burned from November 8 to 25, 2018, destroyed most of Paradise and Concow and nearly 20,000 buildings, and killed more than 80 people.
The same article describes the Park Fire, which started on July 24, 2024 in Bidwell Park, four miles south of downtown Chico. It burned 429,603 acres over 64 days and destroyed 709 structures.
Fire can change water risk in two ways: slopes with less vegetation can shed more runoff, and a house repaired quickly can hide new leaks behind fresh drywall. Neither is a forecast. Put both questions to the county and your contractor.
Bidwell Park, where the Park Fire began, runs 5 miles from the flat city center deep into the foothills, according to the Chico article. That means a burn scar can sit very close to ordinary neighborhoods, and homes near the park edge may want a closer look at gutters and drainage before winter.
If mud or debris reaches your home, see mudslide water damage. For a roof opening, a tarp helps, and roof leak and storm damage explains the next steps.
What water risks do Crescent City and the Del Norte coast face?
The coast is remote and steep, which shapes how a repair goes. Wikipedia says Del Norte County sits in the far northwest corner of California, with 37 miles of coastline and mountainous terrain from the Coast Range and Klamath Mountains. Flat land is limited to small patches along the coast.
Crescent City is the county seat and the only incorporated city, according to the article. Its harbor is a commercial fishing port, and Wikipedia says nearly half of the Dungeness crab served in California restaurants is off-loaded there.
The extract gives no rainfall or flood figures, so this page does not make any. The practical points are about distance. Ask the team you reach whether they serve Del Norte, how long a drive it is, and whether you should arrange a roof tarp or a temporary shutoff while you wait.
If your house is older, look for peeling paint and stains near windows after wet weather. Our signs of water damage guide shows what to watch for.
Will insurance cover flood water in the North State?
Standard homeowners cover usually leaves flood out. Triple-I reports that a separate NFIP policy, or one from a few private insurers, fills the gap, because standard homeowners and renters forms do not include it. For Yuba City or a creek-side street in Chico, that gap matters.
Plumbing and roof leaks sit on the other side of the line. The NAIC describes them as typically covered, and ground water, rain runoff or snow-melt as not.
Mold is another trap. The Insurance Information Institute says policies will not cover damage from lack of maintenance, mold or pests, and the NAIC says mold costs are often excluded. Dry the house fast and keep records.
Talk to your agent before authorizing work. The insurance claim guide has a photo checklist, and the CLUE report page explains how past claims follow an address.
What should renters and students in Chico do after a leak?
Tell your landlord in writing and photograph the damage before anything is moved. Wikipedia calls Chico a college town and the home of California State University, Chico, so many households here rent. The owner usually decides who is called for the building, while you protect your own belongings.
Because renters forms leave out flood too, a renter's own policy may not pay for rising water either. Read the policy before you assume anything.
Keep receipts for emergency purchases and ask for repairs by date in your message. Our tenant and condo guide lays out who handles what, and HOA water damage responsibility covers shared walls and pipes.
What should I do first when water gets in?
Act in this order: stop the source, make the house safe, document, then dry. The EPA wants wet areas and belongings dry in 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold, so the early hours decide how much of the house you can save.
- Close the main shutoff valve, then unplug anything near the water. Kill power to a wet room only when you can reach the panel safely.
- Take photos and video of every wet surface and damaged item before you move it.
- Phone your insurance company and ask what it wants before work starts. Keep your receipts.
- Ask a restoration team how they will measure moisture and log the drying.
- Do not drive or wade through floodwater, since Ready.gov warns that a foot of moving water can sweep a vehicle away.
A longer list sits on the emergency page, and growth that has started is covered in mold after water damage. For businesses, see commercial water damage.
Sources: EPA, mold and moisture; Ready.gov, floods; IICRC S500; NAIC, homeowners insurance; Triple-I, disasters covered by homeowners insurance; Wikipedia articles: Chico, Butte County, Yuba City and Del Norte County.
Coverage
Cities and communities in North State
Requests come from 27 cities and communities here, covering 35 ZIP codes. Pick a name to see its ZIP codes in the checker.
Water Damage Cleanup California is the local water damage restoration line and information resource for California. When you call or send a request, it reaches a local water damage restoration team that serves your area. That team confirms whether it can reach you and gives its own scope, price and timing. Confirm them directly before you agree to anything.