Where Downtown Uniondale sits
The Uniondale Chamber of Commerce describes the downtown business district as the anchor of the hamlet, covering Uniondale Avenue, Front Street, Jerusalem Avenue and Nassau Road. This page follows that description instead of a fixed boundary, because no official map of the district was found. Uniondale is an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County.
The Uniondale Public Library stands on the site of an 1830 one-room schoolhouse and is one landmark people use to place themselves. If you are not sure your address counts as downtown, say so on the call. The dispatcher only needs the street address and a description of the water. Homes and apartments are part of Uniondale as well, and the hamlet counted about 8,255 housing units in 2020.
Why water spreads in buildings that share walls
Downtown buildings tend to be commercial, public or mixed use, and they often share walls, ceilings and plumbing stacks. One failed supply line or one roof leak can run through a ceiling and into the unit next door. Water follows pipes, framing and gaps, not property lines, so the first questions on the call are which floors and neighbors might be wet.
Ask the owner or property manager before anyone opens a neighboring unit. Once someone with access agrees, the crew can check adjoining spaces with a moisture meter instead of guessing. Written notes about what was wet, and when you noticed it, help every party later, including the insurers involved.
Storefronts, offices and upstairs units
A storefront loss carries a business problem on top of the water problem. Stock, shelving, floor coverings and electronics can all be affected, and the doors may need to open again quickly. Tell the dispatcher what has to stay running so the work can be sequenced around it. Our commercial water damage restoration page explains how that planning works.
Upstairs units are the other common pattern. A leak above a shop can stain the ceiling long before anyone sees the source. If a ceiling is sagging or dripping, keep people out from under it and read about ceiling water damage repair while you wait for the crew.
Water damage does not depend on a flood map
We have not verified the FEMA flood-zone status for this part of Uniondale. You can look up an exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. A mapped zone does not predict a loss, and an unmapped address does not rule one out.
Plumbing failures, appliance leaks, roof leaks and sewer backups can strike any building at any time. Flat ground does not help either, because water that spreads across a floor has nowhere quick to go, which is why pumping and extraction matter. See sewage backup cleanup if the water came up through a drain.
What to do before the crew arrives
- Keep people and pets out of standing water if outlets, cords or equipment are nearby. Electricity and water do not mix.
- Shut off the water supply only if the valve is dry, reachable and safe to turn. Do not wade through water to reach it.
- Do not touch breakers while standing in water. If you cannot reach the panel safely, tell the dispatcher.
- Photograph or film the damage before moving anything, if it is safe to do so.
- Move unaffected stock, papers and electronics out of the path of the water where that is safe.
- Do not use household fans or an ordinary vacuum on sewage or contaminated water. Leave that to the crew.
Water is spreading right now? The dispatch line is open around the clock.
☎ (516) 845-9582How extraction and drying work in a mixed-use building
The crew pumps or vacuums standing water first, because every hour that water sits, more of it soaks into drywall, subfloors and framing. After that, ruined materials that cannot dry in place are removed, and air movers and dehumidifiers go in. The published ANSI/IICRC S500 standard sorts water into clean, gray and black categories, and that category changes what can be kept. Moisture readings are taken as drying progresses and decide when equipment leaves.
Our water extraction and structural drying and dehumidification pages describe each stage. Not every material can be saved, and the crew will say so plainly after the readings. A written scope of work explains what is planned, and scope and price are explained before work starts.
Insurance and lease questions
New York State's Department of Financial Services advises people to document losses before cleaning anything up. Photos, video, an item list and receipts all help. Whether a loss is covered depends on the cause and on your policy. A typical homeowners or renters policy does not cover flood, and sewage backup may be covered only with a water backup endorsement.
Commercial tenants should also read the lease. It may say whether the landlord or the tenant insures the space, the fixtures and the stock. Call the insurer early, keep damaged items until it has inspected them, and never assume a claim will be approved.
Other Uniondale areas
If you are closer to the campus, see the Hofstra University area page. For the commercial and institutional buildings north of the Turnpike, see the Mitchel Field area page. The full list of covered ZIP codes is on the service area page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Downtown Uniondale an official neighborhood?
The Uniondale Chamber of Commerce uses the phrase downtown business district for the area around Uniondale Avenue, Front Street, Jerusalem Avenue and Nassau Road. It is not an incorporated village with legal boundaries. Uniondale is an unincorporated hamlet in the Town of Hempstead.
My shop is wet and the unit next door looks fine. Should I still tell the dispatcher?
Yes. Water can travel through shared walls, ceilings and pipe chases before it shows. Mention every adjoining unit, and ask the owner or manager to allow moisture readings there.
Should I turn off the power if water is on the floor?
Not if you have to stand in or reach through water to do it. Call the dispatch line, describe where the water is and where the panel is, and follow the instructions you are given. A licensed electrician may need to make the area safe.
Does insurance pay for water damage in a downtown building?
It depends on the cause of the loss and on the policy, and on the lease for tenants. Flood needs separate flood insurance, and sewage backup usually needs a water backup endorsement. Ask your insurer and document everything first.
Do you handle both the water and the repairs afterward?
Mitigation comes first, which means extraction, removal of ruined materials and drying. Rebuilding such as painting, flooring and carpentry is scoped separately once the structure is dry. The dispatcher can explain how the two phases fit your building.