What happens when you call
-
Tell us what happened. 30 seconds - where the water is and how bad.
-
You're connected with a local restoration crew while you're on the line.
-
The crew confirms timing and sets your arrival time with you directly.
What do San Antonio 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 San Antonio
- Flash flooding
- Hail
- Hard freezes
What's different about water damage in San Antonio?
San Antonio sits on karst limestone at the edge of Flash Flood Alley - heavy rain runs off fast and finds garages, sunken living rooms, and anything downslope. Hard water scales aging supply lines until they fail, and the occasional hard freeze catches uninsulated pipes in attics and exterior walls that were never built for it.
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 San Antonio area. Serving San Antonio, New Braunfels, Schertz, Converse, Universal City, and all of Bexar County.
Repairing water damage in San Antonio: rules, homes, and who to call
Inside city limits, check the FEMA flood map before rebuilding. If any part of the lot is in the 100-year floodplain, the city's Storm Water Engineering reviews the permit and may require a Flood Plain Development Permit. It also keeps a ten-year record of improvements, and if they exceed 50% of the building's Bexar County Appraisal District assessed value, it requires a flood study and compliance with the floodplain ordinance. Under federal flood-insurance rules, that can mean elevating the home to the base flood elevation. Permits come through Development Services at 1901 S. Alamo St. In unincorporated Bexar County, the county's Public Works Department reviews construction near the 100-year floodplain and charges $50 per activity for a floodplain development permit. Keep repair estimates and photos for the permit and the claim. If water is coming from a SAWS main or sewer line, call SAWS at 210-704-7297, day or night.
Permits and licensing
Inside San Antonio city limits, the city says a building permit is typically required to repair a structure, though some general repairs are on its No Permit Required List. Contractors who pull permits for you must be registered with Development Services, and electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors must also register their state license with the city. City code requires a registered electrical contractor for any electrical work. In a local historic district such as King William or Monte Vista, exterior repairs also need a Certificate of Appropriateness. For a building in the 100-year FEMA floodplain, the city tracks improvements and requires a flood study and floodplain-ordinance compliance if they exceed 50% of the building's Bexar County Appraisal District assessed value over ten years.
How San Antonio homes are built
The city's guide to its historic districts says most late-1800s houses in King William were brick or stone masonry, while houses in its later southern expansion were mainly wood. Monte Vista, developed about 1890 to 1930, mixes wood, brick and stone. Most homes in Dignowity Hill, built mainly from about 1877 to 1940, are wood. The earliest pre-railroad houses in the city's first suburbs were largely caliche block.
When emergencies cluster
Emergencies here cluster around heavy-rain storms and rare hard freezes. NWS records 13.35 inches of rain in 24 hours at San Antonio on October 17-18, 1998. On April 28, 2021, a storm brought hail up to 1.5 inches and flooding to Bexar County. During the February 10-18, 2021 winter storm, the airport stayed below freezing for 4 days 12 hours, and NWS reported burst water pipes across the region.
Water and gas: who handles what
Water and sewer are San Antonio Water System (SAWS). For a leak that appears to come from SAWS water or sewer lines, call 210-704-7297, day or night. SAWS cannot repair plumbing on private property; for a leak at your home, shut off the main at the meter. Gas is CPS Energy: if you smell gas, leave, don't switch anything electrical, then call 911 and 210-353-4357 from a safe spot.
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.
Are freeze-burst pipes covered in San Antonio?
Typically yes, if the burst was sudden and you followed your policy's freeze precautions - usually maintaining heat, or shutting off the water and draining the pipes. Review your policy, including endorsements.
Does flash-flood damage need flood insurance?
If the water rose from outside, yes - that's flood insurance, a separate policy. Water from your own plumbing is a standard homeowner's claim.
Do I need a permit to repair water damage in San Antonio?
Inside city limits, the city says a building permit is typically required to repair a structure, though some general repairs appear on its No Permit Required List. On repair jobs, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work is usually permitted separately by licensed trade contractors registered with the city. General repair permits are issued over the counter at 1901 S. Alamo St. Suburbs and unincorporated Bexar County set their own rules.
My house is in a San Antonio historic district. Does that change storm or water repairs?
For exterior work, yes. On a landmark or in a local historic district, exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Office of Historic Preservation. Repairs using the same materials and design can usually be approved administratively at the counter, then the building permit follows. Changing materials or design needs Historic and Design Review Commission approval. The city reviews exterior changes only.
What document should I get after mold remediation in Texas?
Ask for the certificate of mold remediation. A licensed remediator must give it to you within ten days of finishing, with an assessor's statement that the work followed the cleanup plan and whether the underlying cause was fixed. Keep it with the assessment, contract and photos, and check your policy on whether the assessment cost is covered. If you sell, the buyer gets a copy.
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.