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 Tampa 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 Tampa
- Hurricanes
- Storm surge
- Tropical storms
What's different about water damage in Tampa?
Tampa runs on daily summer thunderstorms and the hurricane cone - wind-driven rain through soffits and sliders, storm surge in the flood zones, and a water table that gives runoff nowhere to go. The CBS slab housing stock hides supply lines under concrete, and in this humidity wet drywall starts growing mold in 24 to 48 hours.
Florida policies may have a separate hurricane deductible. Whether it applies depends on the storm and the statutory hurricane period. Check your policy. Storm surge is flood insurance, not homeowner's, no matter what the hurricane did above the waterline. Everyday failures use your standard deductible.
Your call goes to a crew based in the Tampa area. Serving Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon, Riverview, Largo, and all of Hillsborough County.
Repairing water damage in Tampa: rules, homes, and who to call
In Tampa, the flood map decides how far a repair can go. If the house is in zone AE, Coastal A or VE, the city looks at whether repairs exceed 50% of the structure's depreciated pre-flood value, as listed by the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser. If they do, the work counts as substantial and the city may require the home to be rebuilt to the Florida Building Code's flood-resistant standards. Call Construction Services at (813) 274-3100, Option 1, before signing a repair contract. The city also advises telling your insurer and mortgage lender before repairs. Under a flood policy, the city notes a signed Proof of Loss, a sworn statement of what you are claiming, is due within 60 days of the flood; check your policy. Report a leaking city line to (813) 274-8811 on weekdays or (813) 274-7400 after hours.
Permits and licensing
Florida licenses general, building, residential, roofing, plumbing and air-conditioning contractors through DBPR's Construction Industry Licensing Board, and electrical contractors through its Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board. Mold assessors and remediators need separate DBPR licenses for jobs covering more than 10 square feet. Inside Tampa city limits, repair permits go through the city's Accela portal and the Construction Services Division. In flood zones AE, Coastal A and VE, the city may require substantially damaged homes to be rebuilt to the Florida Building Code's flood-resistant standards. Building in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area also requires an Elevation Certificate, completed by a professional engineer or land surveyor, with the permit application. Brandon, Riverview and other areas outside city limits follow Hillsborough County's rules instead.
How Tampa homes are built
Tampa's Hyde Park design guidelines say the district flourished between 1913 and 1928, that its homes were typically built on pier foundations, and that horizontal wood siding is the prevalent exterior. Some raised foundations were enclosed with open brickwork, iron vents or wood lattice. In this historic district, any foundation repair or replacement needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before work starts, and vinyl or aluminum siding is not permitted.
When emergencies cluster
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and Tampa Bay's recent hits came late August through October. Idalia's surge reached 4.56 feet above mean higher high water at East Bay on August 29-30, 2023. Debby brought tropical-storm conditions on August 4-5, 2024. Helene's surge reached 7.2 feet at East Bay on September 26, 2024, and Milton, landing the night of October 9, brought record crests on the Hillsborough River.
Water and gas: who handles what
Inside city limits, water is the City of Tampa Water Department. Report leaks with property damage, hydrant leaks or outages to (813) 274-8811 on weekdays 8 to 5, or (813) 274-7400 after hours, weekends and holidays, answered 24/7. Gas is Peoples Gas: if you suspect a leak, leave the area, call 911 from a safe place, then call (877) 832-6747.
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.
Hurricane water came in - wind or surge?
It's the deciding question: wind-driven rain through damage is a homeowner's claim under the hurricane deductible; surge from the bay is flood insurance. Photograph water lines and entry points before cleanup.
How fast does mold start after Tampa water damage?
24 to 48 hours in this humidity. Same-day drying isn't optional here - it's what keeps a water claim from becoming a mold claim.
Does my flooded Tampa home have to meet new flood rules before I repair it?
Only if it is in flood zone AE, Coastal A or VE and repairs exceed 50% of the structure's depreciated pre-flood value on the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's listing. Then the city may require rebuilding to the Florida Building Code's flood-resistant standards. Ask Construction Services at (813) 274-3100, Option 1, whether your repairs count as substantial before you start.
Can the same company test my home for mold and then remove it?
Usually not within a year. Florida bars a licensed mold assessor from remediating a structure its company assessed in the past 12 months, and bars a remediator from assessing one it remediated. The exception is a certified Division I contractor. The rule applies to jobs over 10 square feet. Check both licenses on DBPR's search before signing.
How long do I have to report storm or water damage to my Florida insurer?
Florida law generally requires notice of a new or reopened property claim within one year of the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months. For a hurricane, the date of loss is the day it made landfall. If you and your insurer disagree on a residential claim, the state's mediation program may be available. Check your policy for its own deadlines.
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.