Water damage questions, answered plainly
Most questions come down to four things: what to do in the first few minutes, how foundation and soil affect the job, how drying and mold work, and how costs and insurance fit together. Answers here are general, your insurer decides coverage, and the crew confirms the price on site.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Burst pipes, slab leaks, crawl spaces, flash floods
- Estimate approved before work starts
- Moisture readings and photos for your claim
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First steps and safety
Where is the main water shut-off in a slab house?
Usually at the meter box near the street, where a key or a quarter-turn valve closes the city line, and often a second valve inside a garage, utility closet or hall closet where the line enters the house. Find it now and check that it turns.
Is it safe to turn off the power myself?
Only if the panel is dry, easy to reach and you are standing on a dry surface. If water is near the panel or the floor in front of it is wet, stay away and tell the dispatcher, who can advise you.
What do I do if the water came up a drain?
Treat it as contaminated: keep children, pets and bare skin away, do not run more water into the drain and call. Sewage and septic water need protective gear and different cleanup from a clean pipe leak.
Should I start pulling up carpet myself?
Hold off unless water is still pooling on it. Photograph the room first, since photos help with an insurance claim, and let the technician judge with a meter what can be dried and what must go.
Slabs, crawl spaces and rural homes
How do I tell a slab leak from a wall leak?
Warm patches on the floor, a meter that spins with every fixture off, hissing in a quiet house or damp flooring far from any wall point to a slab line. A plumber confirms it, and the slab leak guide lists the signs.
Water is under my pier-and-beam house. Is that urgent?
Yes, because insulation, wood and subfloor stay wet out of sight and the air under the house turns humid. Call, say how deep the water is and whether you can reach the crawl space door, and avoid going in if there is any chance of electric cables lying in it.
Who deals with a septic tank that backs up into the house?
A septic contractor pumps and repairs the system, and the crew cleans and dries what the backup reached. See the septic and sewer backup guide for how to tell which line failed.
My manufactured home has lines under the floor. Do they freeze?
They can. Exposed lines in the belly of a pier-set home freeze in hard cold and leak on the thaw, soaking the insulation above. The manufactured home guide covers prevention and what to do.
Drying, mold and timing
How long does drying take?
Often a few days for a single room of clean water, longer for thick materials, multiple rooms or a humid week. The crew keeps equipment in until readings reach the dry goal, not for a fixed number of days.
Does drying within 48 hours mean no mold?
No. The EPA's 24 to 48 hours is a guideline, not a deadline, and mold may have grown even if materials dried inside it. If you smell mustiness or see growth afterward, ask a licensed assessor to look.
Who handles mold in Texas?
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses mold assessors and remediators separately, and a licence is generally needed at 25 or more contiguous square feet. Testing and removal are separate jobs and are not offered together here.
Do I need an asbestos or lead check before demolition?
In older houses, possibly. Homes built before the 1980s can contain asbestos in joint compound, textured ceilings or flooring, and pre-1978 homes fall under the EPA lead rule. Ask the state health department before disturbing suspect material.
Costs and insurance
What does water damage cleanup cost?
Published cost pages for Greater Dallas-Fort Worth put a typical whole job at roughly $1,200 to $5,000, with minor one-room jobs lower and severe ones higher. The pricing page shows the sourced ranges, and your price is confirmed on site.
Will my homeowners policy pay?
Ask your agent. A standard policy often covers sudden and accidental discharge from plumbing or appliances but typically excludes flood and sewer backup unless an endorsement was added, and long-term leaks are often excluded.
Is flood damage covered by my policy?
Usually not under a standard homeowners policy. Flood coverage is a separate policy, through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program or a private insurer, and it typically has a waiting period of about 30 days.
Who helps if I have a claim dispute?
The Texas Department of Insurance helps consumers with claim questions and complaints. Keep your photos, moisture readings and invoices together before you contact them.
Storms and winter
Hail hit my roof and water came in. What now?
Photograph the stain, move belongings, and call so the crew can tarp the opening and dry the ceiling and attic. A roofer repairs the roof. See roof leak water damage and the hail guide.
Why did my pipe leak only after the freeze ended?
Ice can hold a crack closed until it melts. Water then pours out when the pipe thaws, often while you are at work. If you suspect a split, close the main before the thaw.
Are there scams after a big storm or freeze?
Yes. After the February 2021 freeze, Kaufman County's District Attorney warned about plumbing scammers asking for money up front. Do not pay cash for work that has not begun, and ask any company for its licence details.
Do roads flooding affect how fast a crew arrives?
They can. In heavy rain, low-water crossings close and crews are busy, so no arrival time is promised. You are told what to do while you wait.
Question not answered here?
Call and ask. A technician will give you a straight answer, even if the answer is that you do not need us.