Reading Township covers Lake Meade, Hampton, and the creek country near East Berlin, where Conewago Creek and Bermudian Creek run through. It has more flood insurance claims than any other municipality in Adams County, and most mold calls here start with water. North on U.S. Route 15 to Heidlersburg, then east on PA Route 234 toward East Berlin, about 25 minutes from our office.
FEMA records show 159 flood insurance claims in Reading Township, with about $2.6 million paid. The biggest events were the 1996 flooding (30 claims), Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 (17 claims), and Hurricane Ida in 2021 (11 claims), and 2011 was the worst single year. Many homes have taken on water more than once.
Most homes are detached and owner-occupied, with a median build year of 1987. Around Lake Meade and on lower creek-side ground, lower levels, walkouts, and finished basements sit closest to where the water rises. Each flood that soaks drywall, carpet, and framing is a mold problem if it is not dried fast and thoroughly.
Quick answer
Reading Township has about 2,565 homes, and 36.0% were built before 1980 (49.5% across Adams County). FEMA records 159 flood insurance claims in Reading Township, most in 2011 (Tropical Storm Lee). Published national benchmarks put a typical mold remediation project at $1,223-$3,757 (Angi) to $1,500-$6,000 (HomeGuide); a written quote after inspection sets the real price, and the first step is always finding the water.How costs break down.
How old the homes are, how many share walls, and how often water has come in, compared with Adams County and Pennsylvania.
| Measure | Reading Township | Adams County | PA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,873 | 106,115 | 13,018,639 |
| Housing units | 2,565 | 43,672 | 5,806,452 |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1980 | 1965 |
| Built before 1940 | 14.7% | 17.5% | 25.0% |
| Built before 1960 | 21.6% | 29.4% | 44.9% |
| Built before 1980 | 36.0% | 49.5% | 67.2% |
| Built 2000 or later | 23.4% | 22.3% | 14.3% |
| Single-family detached | 84.9% | 74.7% | 56.6% |
| Attached homes (rowhouse, twin, townhouse) | 0.6% | 9.3% | 18.8% |
| Mobile homes | 8.8% | 5.5% | 3.5% |
| Owner-occupied | 89.6% | 78.9% | 69.3% |
| Median home value | $276,200 | $268,500 | $254,500 |
Named events with claims in Reading Township: Flooding 1996 (30), Tropical Storm Lee 2011 (17), Hurricane Ida 2021 (11).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B01003, B25001, B25003, B25024, B25034, B25035 and B25077 (profile); FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP redacted claims, data as of 2026-09-08. Municipal claims use FEMA's NFIP community; ZIP claims use the reported ZIP code, which can cross municipal lines. ACS figures are survey estimates with margins of error, and small places have wider margins. Paid amounts are not adjusted for inflation.
A house that seemed fine after cleanup but smells musty weeks later usually has wet framing or insulation still hidden inside the walls.
Baseboards that have swollen, split, or pulled away from the wall soaked up water. The drywall and framing behind them almost always did too.
A stain line at the same height across several walls marks how high flood water reached. Growth often starts just above it, where water wicked up the drywall.
Wood or laminate flooring that has cupped or feels soft has water trapped under it. Subfloors and carpet pad underneath can grow mold without anything showing on top.
In homes that flooded more than once, a newer drywall patch or new paint low on the wall can hide damage from an earlier event that was never fully dried.
Reading Township has 159 flood insurance claims on record, with about $2.6 million paid, more than any other municipality in Adams County. Conewago Creek and Bermudian Creek both run through this part of the county, and homes around Lake Meade and on lower ground near the creeks sit close to where the water rises in big storms.
The claims cluster around major events: 30 from the 1996 flooding, 17 from Tropical Storm Lee in 2011, and 11 from Hurricane Ida in 2021, with 2011 the worst single year. Large storms come back every decade or so, and many homes here have been wet more than once.
Flood water is the most serious kind for mold. It soaks drywall, insulation, carpet pad, and subfloors all at once, carries soil and bacteria, and leaves the whole lower level wet. Mold can start within 24 to 48 hours, so how fast drying begins decides how much has to come out.
Reading Township has had more flooding than anywhere else in Adams County. Most mold work here follows creek or storm water, and speed matters more than anything.
Fast extraction and drying after creek or storm flooding.
After a flood, we extract standing water, remove soaked drywall, insulation, carpet, and pad, and run commercial dehumidifiers and air movers until the framing reads dry. Daily moisture logs and photos document the drying for your insurance claim.
Finished basements and lower levels that took on flood water.
Finished basements and lower levels near Lake Meade and the creeks often hide growth behind drywall and under flooring. We open walls along the water line under containment, clean the framing, and rebuild only when readings are normal.
Checking for hidden growth after a flood or before buying a flood-prone home.
After a flood, or before buying a house that has flooded, an inspection checks wall cavities, subfloors, and framing for hidden moisture and growth, including damage left over from earlier floods.
Every service we offer is available in Reading Township.
Standing water is extracted, and commercial dehumidifiers and air movers are set up as soon as the house is safe to enter. Every day of delay means more material has to be removed.
Drywall is cut out above the water line, and soaked insulation, carpet, and pad are removed. Creek water is not clean, so porous materials it reached are not dried in place.
Studs, joists, and subfloors are cleaned and dried until moisture readings are normal. We log readings daily and photograph each step for your insurance claim.
Before anything is closed up, we confirm the framing is dry. We can also note options for lower levels that handle water better, such as materials that can be wiped down and dried rather than torn out.
Flood water from a creek is not clean water. Porous materials it reached are removed rather than dried in place, and we clean and treat the framing before anything is closed up.
In homes that have flooded more than once, we look for signs of earlier water lines and repairs, since old damage behind newer drywall is common.
Mold can start growing on wet drywall, carpet pad, and wood within 24 to 48 hours. Flood water from a creek also carries soil and bacteria, so porous materials it soaked usually need to come out rather than be dried in place. The sooner water is extracted and drying equipment is running, the less has to be removed.
Yes. All of Reading Township is part of our service area, including Lake Meade, Hampton, and the creek-side areas near East Berlin.
Flood policies generally cover mold caused by the flood, but they expect you to start drying and cleanup promptly. Mold that grows because the house was left wet can be disputed, and coverage for basements is limited. Read your own policy and document everything with dates and photos.
For a small amount of water caught quickly, sometimes. For creek or storm flood water across a lower level, it is hard to dry wall cavities and subfloors fully without commercial equipment and moisture meters. Wet framing closed up behind new drywall is how the next mold problem starts.
For a house in Reading Township, it is worth asking whether it has flooded and getting the lower level checked. An inspection can find old water damage, hidden growth, and framing that never fully dried after an earlier flood.
More answers on our mold FAQ page.
If water is in the house now, call right away and tell us how high it reached and when it came in. Every hour of drying time counts.
