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 Phoenix crews handle?
- Burst pipes & supply-line failures
- Slab leaks & flooded rooms
- Sewage backup & extraction
- Storm & roof-leak flooding
- Ceiling leaks & appliance failures
- Structural drying & dehumidification
Common emergencies in Phoenix
- Monsoon storms
- Dust storms
- Flash flooding
What's different about water damage in Phoenix?
Phoenix water damage peaks in monsoon season - July-to-September microbursts drive rain under parapet flat roofs and through evaporative-cooler penetrations. The rest of the year it's failed water heaters, AC condensate lines, and supply lines aged by hard water. Desert heat dries surfaces deceptively fast while wall cavities stay wet - which is exactly where mold starts.
Monsoon wind damage and wind-driven rain are standard homeowner's coverage in Arizona, but street or wash flooding entering the home is not - that requires separate flood insurance. Sudden plumbing failures fall under the standard policy.
Your call goes to a crew based in the Phoenix area. Serving Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Glendale, and all of Maricopa County.
Repairing water damage in Phoenix: rules, homes, and who to call
In Phoenix, permits shape how a water loss gets repaired. Removing and replacing whole sheets of drywall needs a building permit; patching a hole and replacing existing plumbing fixtures do not. Check your address on the FEMA flood map before signing a contract. In a Special Flood Hazard Area, the city's Floodplain Management office must clear the permit, and it adds this repair to all permitted work on the structure from the past five years, measured against market value from an appraisal or the county assessor. Owner labor counts at normal rates. At 50% or more, the house must meet current flood requirements. The city asks for its clearance form signed by the owner, the city's cost estimate, project plans and your contractor's signed contract or invoice, and says review typically takes about six weeks. Report a broken city main to 602-261-8000.
Permits and licensing
Arizona's Registrar of Contractors (ROC) licenses contractors in general and specialty residential classes. There is no separate state mold license. Someone without an ROC license may take a job only if the total price, labor and materials included, is under $1,000, the work is minor and not part of a larger job, no local building permit is needed, and any ad says 'not a licensed contractor.' Inside Phoenix city limits, permits come from Planning and Development: replacing whole drywall sheets needs one, patching a hole does not. In a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, Floodplain Management must clear the permit. It adds up five years of permitted work and compares it with the structure's market value; at 50% or more, the house must meet current flood rules.
How Phoenix homes are built
The city's 1994 Garfield survey found mostly single-family homes built from the 1880s to the 1940s, including pyramid cottages from 1900 to 1912 that are typically brick. The 1993 Arcadia survey describes 1920s citrus-estate lots and documented several stucco-over-adobe homes with flat roofs and parapets. If your home is on the city's Historic Property Register, a permit that affects the exterior first needs sign-off from the Historic Preservation Office.
When emergencies cluster
NWS Phoenix counts the monsoon as June 15 to September 30, and major storms can come late. On September 8, 2014, Sky Harbor recorded 3.30 inches, the most for any calendar day since records began in 1895. A September 12, 2023 supercell brought estimated 60 to 90 mph winds and roof damage. Sky Harbor took 1.64 inches on September 26, 2025, and tropical remnants caused flooding October 9-13, 2025.
Water and gas: who handles what
Phoenix Water Services runs city water and sewer. For a main break or sewer overflow, call its 24/7 emergency hotline at 602-261-8000; report other leaks on its online form. Southwest Gas serves the Phoenix area. If you smell gas, leave at once and leave doors open, then from a safe place call 911 and Southwest Gas at 877-860-6020. Don't flip switches, use the garage door or start a car.
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 monsoon damage covered by insurance?
Wind damage and rain entering through a wind-damaged roof are standard claims. Runoff flooding from the street or a wash is flood insurance - a separate policy.
Does insurance cover AC condensate or water-heater leaks?
Water damage from a sudden failure is often covered; repairing or replacing the failed water heater or A/C unit itself often isn't. Slow leaks that went unaddressed are often denied. Review your policy, including endorsements.
Do I need a permit to replace water-damaged drywall in Phoenix?
Yes, if whole sheets come out. The city's Work Exempt from Permit guide says patching a hole needs no permit, but removing and replacing an entire sheet does, and plumbing, electrical or mechanical work may need its own permit. If the home is in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, Floodplain Management must also clear the permit before it is issued.
Does Arizona require a mold license or a mold clearance certificate?
No. Arizona has no mold-specific license and no state clearance certificate, so ask in writing for the scope, moisture readings and photos. Related repair work, like replacing drywall, falls under contractor rules: an ROC license is required unless the whole job is under $1,000 and needs no permit. Mold coverage depends on your policy's wording, so check it.
My Phoenix home is in a flood zone. Will repairs trigger the 50% rule?
It depends on the total. Phoenix adds the repair to all permitted work on the structure in the past five years and compares it with the structure's market value, from an appraisal or the county assessor. At 50% or more, the house must meet current flood requirements. Owner labor counts at normal rates; pools, fences and landscaping are left out, and detached garages count as separate structures.
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.