What happens when you call
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Tell us what happened. 30 seconds - where the water is and how bad.
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You're connected with a local restoration crew while you're on the line.
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The crew confirms timing and sets your arrival time with you directly.
What do Houston crews handle?
- Burst & frozen pipes
- Slab leaks & flooded crawl spaces
- Sewage backup & extraction
- Storm & roof-leak flooding
- Ceiling leaks & appliance failures
- Structural drying & dehumidification
Common emergencies in Houston
- Hurricanes & tropical storms
- Flash flooding
- Hard freezes
- Severe thunderstorms
What's different about water damage in Houston?
Houston's high water table, flat terrain, and Gulf humidity mean water lingers once it's in. Crawl spaces under older pier-and-beam homes hold moisture for weeks, slab neighborhoods take water street-to-door in tropical downpours, and in this humidity wet drywall can start growing mold in under 48 hours - drying has to start the same day.
Texas policies commonly carry a separate percentage deductible for wind and hail - a different number than your flat deductible, worth checking before storm season. Sudden water losses like burst pipes fall under the standard deductible.
Your call goes to a crew based in the Houston area. Serving Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, Pasadena, The Woodlands, Baytown, and all of Harris County.
Repairing water damage in Houston: rules, homes, and who to call
Where your home sits on the FEMA flood map changes the repair, not just the claim. If the house is in Houston's 100-year floodplain or floodway, the city's Floodplain Management Office makes a substantial-damage determination before repair permits are issued, and repairs at or above 50% of the structure's appraised value trigger elevation or other compliance work. The city's cost worksheet excludes a few items from that calculation: demolition to prevent further damage to the building or for health and safety reasons, asbestos, lead and mold abatement, survey and permit fees, site work, pools, fences and appliances. Keep the cost estimate, appraisal and repair spec list the city asks for, and check your address on FEMA's flood maps before signing a repair contract. If the water came from a broken city main, report it to 311; your own main shut-off is the faster move for anything on your side of the meter.
Permits and licensing
Texas has no state license for general contractors or roofers. Plumbers are regulated by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners; electricians and HVAC contractors by TDLR. Houston issues trade permits job by job for structural, plumbing, electrical and mechanical work. Inside the 100-year floodplain or floodway, Houston's Chapter 19 ordinance applies: if repairs cost 50% or more of the structure's appraised value, it is 'substantially damaged' and must be brought into floodplain compliance. The city asks for three documents to make that call: a cost estimate, a county or private appraisal, and a repair spec list. Rules differ in Katy, Sugar Land and unincorporated Harris County.
How Houston homes are built
Inner-loop neighborhoods like Houston Heights, Montrose and Eastwood are mostly pre-war pier-and-beam homes over crawl spaces; the city's Heights historic-district guidelines note most homes there use pier and beam. Post-war neighborhoods such as Meyerland and Bellaire are 1950s–60s slabs on grade beams and deep piers in clay, and Meyerland's position along Brays Bayou has flooded it repeatedly. Basements are essentially nonexistent in Houston.
When emergencies cluster
Spring rain events come first: the Memorial Day flood of May 25, 2015 and the Tax Day flood of April 17–18, 2016, with 12 to 16 inches in 12 hours. A May 16, 2024 derecho brought near-100 mph winds downtown. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30: Harvey stalled over Houston August 25–29, 2017 with over 36 inches of rain; Beryl hit July 8, 2024 with 80-plus mph gusts.
Water and gas: who handles what
Inside city limits, water is Houston Water, part of Houston Public Works: report main breaks and street leaks to 311, and call again if a leak worsens. Many suburbs use Municipal Utility Districts. Gas is CenterPoint Energy: for a suspected leak, leave the house, then call 911 and the gas-leak line on your bill. Find your main water shut-off now; your side of the meter is yours to close.
Also serving nearby
Common questions
How fast can someone be here?
Our line is answered 24/7, and you're connected with a local restoration crew while you're on the call. The crew confirms timing and sets your arrival time with you directly.
Is tropical-storm flooding covered by homeowner's insurance?
Rising water from outside is typically covered only by flood insurance. Wind-driven rain through a damaged roof or window is typically a homeowner's claim. Which way the water entered often decides which policy responds, so photograph entry points and water lines before cleanup.
How fast does mold become a problem in Houston humidity?
Wet drywall can show growth in under 48 hours here. Same-day drying isn't a luxury in Harris County - it's the difference between a dry-out and a remediation.
Do I need a permit to repair my flooded house in Houston?
Usually yes for structural, plumbing, electrical and mechanical work, and the rules get stricter inside the 100-year floodplain. There, Chapter 19 requires a substantial-damage check: repairs at or above 50% of the structure's appraised value mean it must be brought into floodplain compliance. The city's worksheet excludes demolition done to prevent further damage, and asbestos, lead and mold abatement, from that calculation.
What is a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation and why do I need it?
It is a state form a licensed remediator must give you within 10 days of finishing, whatever the project size, signed by the remediator and the mold assessment consultant. It records that the mold was treated and whether the moisture source was fixed. Keep it with your insurance file; Texas sellers must disclose every such certificate from the past five years.
A city water main broke near my house. Who shuts it off?
Call 311 and report it to Houston Public Works, then call again if it gets worse. Houston Water crews close the street valve. Anything on your side of the meter is yours to shut off at the main valve, so find it now. Outside city limits, your Municipal Utility District handles the line.
Do you work with my insurance?
Many restoration contractors work with adjusters. Ask how billing works on the call, and ask the contractor about documentation and coordination with your adjuster. Sudden, accidental water damage is typically covered by homeowner's insurance. Review your policy, including endorsements.
What does it cost?
It depends on how far the water spread. Ask for a written scope and estimate before work starts. Sudden, accidental water damage is typically covered by homeowner's insurance. Review your policy, including endorsements.
What should I do while I wait?
If it's safe, shut off the water source and power to wet areas, and move valuables up off the floor. The crew handles the rest.