Restoration help for water, storm, fire and mold damage in Cedar Mill

Cedar Mill is named for the sawmill John Halsey Jones and his father, Justus, opened in 1859, the area's first organized business. It is now an unincorporated community of about 17,000 people and roughly 6,400 homes, sitting about 522 feet above sea level north of U.S. Route 26, with a small downtown strip along Cornell Road.

Fire & Water Energy answers calls and makes referrals; it owns no equipment and employs no restoration workers. When a pipe lets go, a tree comes through the roof or smoke fills the house, call (866) 937-3230 and we'll make an effort to reach an independent restoration contractor serving this side of the Portland metro. Who can come depends on local availability. Our how it works page and the referral disclosure explain the process.

Creeks, ravines and winter weather on the west side

Cedar Mill Creek starts in the Forest Heights area just across the Multnomah County line, runs through the community and empties into Beaverton Creek inside Tualatin Hills Nature Park. North Johnson Creek joins its main stem near the Nike World Campus, and the 32-foot Cedar Mill Falls drops over basalt along the creek corridor. Hartung Lake, in the Hartung Farms neighborhood, is the area's only lake.

Washington County has been part of four FEMA major disaster declarations since 2000: storms with flooding and landslides in 2007 (DR-1733), record and near-record snow in 2009 (DR-1824), winter storms with straight-line winds and flooding in 2016 (DR-4258), and the 2020 wildfires and straight-line winds (DR-4562). The regional PublicAlerts site lists winter weather, flooding and land movement, wildfire smoke and extreme heat among the hazards to prepare for.

Water damage restoration in Cedar Mill homes

Houses near creek ravines and on sloping lots can collect runoff against foundations during long rainy spells, and that water often ends up in a crawlspace or daylight basement. Snow and ice, like the 2009 record snow event, add a second risk: frozen supply lines in garages or exterior walls and ice dams that push meltwater under shingles.

For water damage restoration in Cedar Mill, a typical contractor stops the source, extracts water, checks moisture behind walls and under floors, then dries the structure with air movers and dehumidifiers. If water reached a lower level, our basement flood cleanup page applies, and rebuilding is covered under water damage repair. Leaks coming through the ceiling are discussed on ceiling water damage repair.

Federal disaster declarations that included Washington County

FEMA records show Washington County was included in 4 major disaster declarations for weather or fire events from 2000 through 2026 (3 severe storm, 1 fire, by FEMA incident type). Declarations are made at the county level, so they do not mean every neighborhood in Cedar Mill was affected. The most recent:

• 2020 – Wildfires and Straight-line Winds (DR-4562)
• 2016 – Severe Winter Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4258)
• 2009 – Severe Winter Storm, Record and Near Record Snow (DR-1824)
• 2007 – Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-1733)

Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved 2026-10-10. Counts include major disaster (DR) declarations with hurricane, flood, severe storm, tropical storm, fire, tornado, coastal storm, winter or ice storm, mudslide and dam/levee incident types.

House fires, chimney fires and drifting wildfire smoke

Washington County was included in the 2020 declaration for wildfires and straight-line winds. PublicAlerts treats wildfire smoke as its own hazard, since fine particles can settle into ducts, carpet and soft furniture without any fire nearby.

After a fire inside the home, a reputable company will usually secure the property, remove debris, clean soot with methods matched to each surface and deodorize framing and contents. Hoses and sprinklers leave soaked drywall behind, so drying is part of the job too. See smoke damage cleanup and fire damage cleanup for a closer look at each step.

Tree falls, saturated slopes and storm cleanup

Two of the county's declarations named straight-line winds, and where tall trees stand near houses, big limbs on roofs, broken windows and torn gutters let the next rain inside. Land movement is another concern on steep or saturated ground, which the 2007 and 2016 declarations both listed.

Any water that flows in from outside should be handled as contaminated. Contractors generally tarp roof openings, remove wet insulation and drywall and dry the framing before repairs. Our storm damage cleanup overview walks through the sequence.

Shade, moisture and mold in creekside houses

Where trees shade a roof or siding, surfaces stay wet longer, and Portland-area winters bring long runs of cloud and drizzle. Crawlspaces, north-side walls and bathrooms with weak ventilation are where mold usually shows up first.

The EPA considers patches under about 10 square feet a manageable homeowner task with gloves and a respirator. Larger growth, mold in HVAC systems, or anything left by sewage or floodwater should go to a professional using containment and HEPA filtration; see mold remediation.

Getting through the first hours safely in Cedar Mill

• Call 911 for fire, injury, a gas smell or power lines on the ground. Stay out of rooms under a fallen tree.
• Turn off the water main for plumbing leaks, and don't walk through water that might touch electrical outlets.
• Sign up for PublicAlerts, which routes Washington County residents to the county's opt-in emergency alerts by phone, text or email.
• Photograph every affected area before cleanup. Coverage depends on your policy; talk with your insurer or agent before you discard damaged belongings.

Neighborhoods and nearby communities

Areas in and around Cedar Mill that callers often mention include:

• Hartung Farms

Nearby communities with their own pages (straight-line distance from Cedar Mill):

• Cedar Hills · 2 mi
• Oak Hills · 2 mi
• West Haven-Sylvan · 2 mi
• Beaverton · 3 mi
• Aloha · 3 mi
• Rockcreek · 4 mi

Restoration guides

• Water Damage Restoration
• Basement Flood Cleanup
• Storm Damage Cleanup
• Smoke Damage Cleanup
• Fire Damage Cleanup
• Mold Remediation

Local resources for Cedar Mill residents

• PublicAlerts (Portland-area emergency alerts)
• Washington County cold weather preparedness

Sources

• Wikipedia: Cedar Mill, Oregon
• PublicAlerts
• Washington County, Oregon

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