'It's hard': New Jersey residents deal with the aftermath of storm damage

LODI, N.J. (PIX11) -- As New Jersey residents are still reeling from flood waters due to Tuesday's storm, a local contracting company is giving homeowners tips to prepare for future storms and discussing what to do if their homes are impacted by flooding.

Bill Podurgiel is a general contractor with Service Master Restore and said preventing heavy rainfall from pouring into your home can be difficult for anyone living near rivers or low-lying areas.

"Make sure the outside sewer drains have no debris around them or anything like that so that you can actually get the water to go down and into the draining systems," Podurgiel said. “Most people try to stay in their homes. If you can leave, get out because what happens is it becomes a safety hazard as well."

Podurgiel said his company, which services customers across the Tri-state area, has seen an influx of calls over the last three weeks due to those storms wreaking havoc on residents.

If your home floods, he said the first thing you should do is call a restoration company that can remove drywall or flooring to prevent mold growth.

“If it's a basement, it's behind the walls as well as in front of the walls, so what happens is you'll get some microbial growth and then it can get worse,” said Podurgiel. 

Ambrosia Garcia lives near the Saddle River in Lodi and is exhausted after having to pump water out of her basement twice in the last few weeks from heavy rainfall, causing water levels to reach nearly six feet high.

"It's hard,” Garcia said. “We are no more teenagers. Before I can clean … and it was ok but now it takes a while."

Garcia said she’s had to deal with the headache of flooding since she moved into her home back in the 80s and that it’s only gotten worse over the years. She now tries to take proactive measures to safeguard her home from using sandbags, to moving her most valuable belongings to a higher floor.

“The [flood] on December 18th, last month, we have a bunch of water and yesterday the same thing,” said Garcia. 

Podurgiel said that when it comes to flooding, your best bet is to elevate your belongings to a higher level in your home and evacuate. He said he’s hoping to help residents like Garcia prevent severe damage in their homes ahead of the next significant rain event.