Ian, September 2022
Hurricane Ian made landfall on Cayo Costa on September 28, 2022, as a strong Category 4 storm, and pushed catastrophic surge into Lee County. Fort Myers Beach was largely destroyed, the Sanibel Causeway was cut, Pine Island and Matlacha were isolated, and the Caloosahatchee rose into downtown Fort Myers and riverfront neighborhoods. Inland, Ian's rain flooded communities that never expected water. It was one of the deadliest and costliest storms in Florida history.
Surge on the coast, rain inland
Lee County floods two ways. On the coast and along the river, surge is the threat: Gulf water pushed into Estero Bay, San Carlos Bay and up the Caloosahatchee. Inland, in places like Lehigh Acres and Gateway, it's rainfall overwhelming canals, ditches and retention ponds during slow tropical systems and the summer wet season. Both are flood losses, excluded from standard homeowners policies. Check your address in the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
The 50 percent rule
In high-risk flood zones, if the cost to repair a flooded building reaches 50 percent of its market value, local officials can require it to be brought up to current floodplain rules, which often means elevating it. After Ian, thousands of Southwest Florida homes went through that process. Talk to your city or county building department before repair plans are final. See hurricane and flood damage reconstruction.
Mold after a long recovery
After Ian, crews, materials, adjusters and permits were all in short supply, and many homes sat wet for weeks. We still find the results: mold in walls closed up before they were dry, subfloors that never fully dried and HVAC systems that spread spores. If a home repaired after 2022 has a persistent musty smell, a moisture inspection is worth doing. See mold remediation.
Most-requested services in Fort Myers
In Fort Myers, most of our calls fall into three groups: hurricane & flood damage reconstruction for homes still rebuilding after Ian; mold remediation where moisture was sealed in during rushed repairs; and flood cleanup along the Caloosahatchee and Estero Bay. Not sure which fits your situation? Call and describe what you see, or compare all 12 services.
All 12 services in Fort Myers
- Water Damage Restoration
- Flood Cleanup
- Burst Pipe Repair
- Ceiling & Roof Leak Repair
- Storm & Hurricane Damage Restoration
- Mold Remediation
- Structural Drying & Dehumidification
- Sewage Cleanup
- AC & HVAC Condensation Leak Damage
- Insurance Claims Assistance
- Hurricane & Flood Damage Reconstruction
- Commercial Water Damage Restoration
Fort Myers neighborhoods and nearby communities
These pages cover local conditions in more detail:
Fort Myers questions
Do you have an office in Fort Myers?
No. SwiftFlow's only office is in Tallahassee, and Lee County jobs are coordinated from there through our statewide response network. We'll give you an honest arrival estimate when you call.
My home was repaired after Ian, but something smells musty. What should I do?
Have it checked with moisture meters and thermal imaging before opening walls. Musty smells after rushed repairs often point to materials that were closed up damp. We can inspect, document and remediate if needed.
Does flood insurance cover rain flooding inland?
Yes, flood policies cover rising water from rain as well as surge. Standard homeowners policies generally don't. New NFIP policies usually have a waiting period before coverage starts, so buy before storm season.