Frequently Asked Questions

Usually, yes. A sudden and accidental discharge of water, such as a pipe that suddenly splits, is typically covered under a standard Texas homeowners policy, subject to your deductible and the policy's terms. A slow, ongoing leak is generally treated differently and is often excluded. Read your policy and ask your adjuster how they are classifying your specific loss.

As soon as it is safe to reach it. Standing water increases the chance that wet materials stay damp long enough for mold to become a risk. FEMA says wet carpeting, furniture, bedding and other items that hold moisture can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours.

Report it to the City of Houston through 311, or 713-837-0311 if you are calling from outside the city; the line is staffed around the clock. Call 911 only if there is an immediate threat to life or property. For the pipe inside your own home, you still need to arrange your own plumber and restoration provider.

It depends on the size of the affected area. Texas requires a mold license for work covering 25 or more contiguous square feet. A homeowner working on their own property with fewer than 10 dwelling units is generally exempt from that requirement unless the work is done as a business open to the public.

Texas Insurance Code chapter 542 sets deadlines for insurers, including acknowledging a claim, accepting or rejecting it, and paying an accepted claim. If your insurer misses those deadlines, you can file a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance at 800-252-3439, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central.

Not before you document it. Photograph and video the damage, including water lines on the walls and the source of the leak, before you touch or discard anything. Keep damaged items until your insurer or adjuster has had a chance to see them, unless they present an immediate health or safety hazard.

No. A public adjuster is optional. Anyone who acts as one must hold a Texas Department of Insurance license, and the commission they charge cannot exceed 10 percent of the settlement. An adjuster may not charge a percentage fee when your insurer pays, or commits in writing to pay, the policy limit within 72 hours of the loss report (§4102.104(b)).

Usually not. A standard Texas homeowners policy generally excludes flood damage, so water from a storm, bayou overflow, or street flooding typically needs a separate National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy. Check your declarations page or ask your agent, since coverage details vary by policy.

Often, yes. A sudden and accidental water release, like a pipe that suddenly bursts, is commonly covered under a standard Texas homeowners policy, subject to your exclusions and deductible. Ongoing leaks or slow seepage are usually excluded. See the burst pipe water damage guide for Houston.

No. The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association covers wind and hail damage only for eligible coastal properties; it does not pay for flood or storm surge. If you need flood coverage, that comes from a separate NFIP policy.

An NFIP policy can pay up to $250,000 to repair or rebuild your home's structure and up to $100,000 for damaged contents. New policies usually take 30 days to take effect, so buy flood coverage before a storm threatens, not during one.

It depends on where your home sits and how much damage it took. Rather than guess, get a written determination from the City floodplain office before you sign a repair contract or start rebuilding in a mapped floodplain.

Fast. FEMA says wet carpeting, furniture, and other materials that hold moisture can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours, and the EPA and CDC each publish similar guidance about drying quickly. Remove wet materials and start drying quickly, since speed limits the damage.

In Texas, remediation work covering 25 or more contiguous square feet of mold generally requires a license holder for the mold remediation, and the assessment must be done by a different license holder under Sec. 1958.155(a), with some owner-occupied exceptions. Ask any provider you consider for the specific credential the job requires.

Report it through Houston 311, or 713-837-0311 if calling from outside the city; the service runs around the clock, every day of the week. Call 911 only for a direct threat to life or property, not for routine cleanup or drainage questions.

Call 911 only if someone is in immediate danger — a gas smell, exposed live wiring, or fast-rising water. For a water main break, sewer backup, or flooded street with no immediate danger, call Houston 311, or 713-837-0311 from outside the city.

Use your home's main shut-off valve if you can reach it safely. Do not force a valve you cannot operate; seek qualified help instead. Report a suspected main break, sewer backup, or street flooding to 311 rather than trying to trace it yourself.

From outside the city, reach Houston 311 at 713-837-0311. If you are in unincorporated Harris, Fort Bend, or Montgomery county, your water provider may be a utility district rather than the City of Houston — find its name and emergency number in your account records.

Use the Harris County Flood Education Mapping Tool to see FEMA-based flood zones by address, and the Harris County Flood Warning System to track rainfall and bayou levels in real time. Neither tool replaces an official flood zone determination for insurance purposes.

Not if the panel is wet or you are standing in water. If it is safe to reach, turn off power at the main breaker or fuse box; if the panel itself is wet, leave it alone and wait for help instead of touching it yourself.

Call your insurer to open a claim, then contact a restoration provider that serves your ZIP code when it is safe to arrange cleanup. This page gives general information about water damage and insurance, not legal advice, so confirm specifics with your insurer or the city.

Usually no. Most standard Texas homeowners policies exclude flooding — water that rises from outside the home, such as an overflowing bayou or storm surge. Flood coverage generally has to come from a separate policy, most often through the National Flood Insurance Program.

Fast. FEMA says wet carpeting, furniture, bedding, and similar items can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours. EPA separately says mold generally will not grow if those items are dried within 24-48 hours. Getting wet materials out and the space drying quickly matters more than which product is used.

Not until officials say it is safe. Do not wade through floodwater or touch electrical equipment while standing in water. If there is a gas smell, visible structural damage, or downed wiring, stay out and wait for a professional or an official to check the property first.

No, hiring a public adjuster is optional. If you do use one, Texas law requires them to hold a Texas Department of Insurance license, and their total commission may not exceed 10 percent of the insurance settlement on your claim.

Generally once the affected area reaches 25 or more contiguous square feet, mold assessment and remediation require a Texas mold license, with a separate exemption for owners doing limited work on their own residential property with fewer than 10 dwelling units. Ask any provider doing mold work which license applies to your job.

Ask the insurer to explain the denial, and contact TDI if you disagree. A public adjuster or attorney can also review your options and explain what the denial means for your specific policy.

FEMA says wet carpeting, furniture, bedding, and similar items can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours. The EPA says mold generally will not grow if wet or damp items are dried within that same 24-to-48-hour period. Houston's warm, humid air slows how fast wet materials dry out compared with a cooler, drier climate.

Usually not. Under Texas Occupations Code Section 1958.102(e), an owner can perform mold assessment or remediation on their own residential property if it has fewer than 10 dwelling units, with no square-footage limit on the exemption. This exception covers the owner doing the work themselves, not a business performing the same work for the public.

Under Section 1958.102(c), mold remediation does not require a license when the contamination on a project covers less than 25 contiguous square feet; this exemption does not cover mold assessment. At or above that size, Section 1958.101 generally requires a license for both mold assessment and mold remediation.

No. Section 1958.155(a) of the Texas Occupations Code says a license holder may not perform both mold assessment and mold remediation on the same project. Ask who the independent assessor is before you hire anyone for the remediation work itself.

It is the document a mold remediation license holder must give the property owner under Section 1958.154, no later than the 10th day after the work is finished. If you later sell the house, you must give the buyer certificates issued in the previous five years.

Usually only as part of a covered water loss, like a sudden pipe burst. Flood, ongoing leaks, and mold beyond that necessary repair are typically excluded under most standard Texas policies, and sublimits for mold cleanup vary by policy and endorsement. Check your declarations page or ask your insurer what your specific mold sublimit is.

Yes. Under Section 1958.154(b), when you sell the property you must give the buyer copies of any certificates of mold remediation issued during the five years before the sale. The remediator gives that certificate to the owner no later than the 10th day after the work is finished, under Section 1958.154(a).

Most standard Texas homeowners policies cover a sudden and accidental discharge of water, which includes many burst pipe losses, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Coverage still depends on your specific policy, exclusions, and deductible, so read your declarations page or ask your insurer directly before you assume a repair is covered.

Mold is generally excluded from a standard Texas homeowners policy except when it results directly from a covered water loss, such as a burst pipe. Even then, most policies apply a mold sublimit — commonly 25%, 50%, or 100% of your dwelling coverage limit, depending on the insurer and endorsement.

Under Texas Insurance Code §542.055, your insurer must acknowledge your claim, start investigating, and request any forms it needs no later than the 15th calendar day after it receives notice of your claim. That deadline extends by 15 more days after a declared weather catastrophe under §542.059(b).

Once your insurer has every item, statement, and form it requested, §542.056 requires a written decision within 15 business days. If the insurer needs more time and explains why in writing, §542.056(d) sets an outside deadline of the 45th day after that notice.

No. Filing a claim yourself is allowed, and many homeowners never hire one. If you do use a public adjuster, Texas law requires a TDI license and caps the commission at 10% of the settlement — with no percentage fee at all if the insurer pays, or commits in writing to pay, the full policy limit within 72 hours of your loss report.

Put your concerns in writing and cite the specific Chapter 542 section and date the insurer missed. If that does not resolve it, file a complaint with the Texas Department of Insurance at 800-252-3439, staffed 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday.

Texas law sets a deadline to sue an insurer; ask TDI or an attorney what it is for your claim. That deadline can depend on your specific policy language and the circumstances of your loss, so raise the question early rather than waiting.

It depends on the water type, how much space is affected, and which materials need drying or replacing. According to Angi (2026), national projects range from $450 to $16,000, averaging $3,868; HomeAdvisor's cost guide (2025-2026) lists a typical range of $1,383 to $6,369. These are survey-based consumer guides, not official statistics, so your own bill depends on your specific damage.

According to Angi (2026), per-square-foot pricing runs from $3 to $7.50 depending on the water category: about $3.50 for clean water, $5.25 for gray water, and $7.50 for water contaminated with sewage or floodwater. The actual price for your home depends on the provider's estimate for your specific job.

According to the Texas Department of Insurance, a standard homeowners policy usually covers sudden and accidental discharge, such as a burst pipe, while flood and continuous leakage are usually excluded; mold is usually excluded, except repair tied to a covered loss. Your policy wording controls, so check your declarations page. This is general information, not legal or insurance advice.

NFIP coverage limits are $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for contents. Most standard homeowners policies generally exclude flood, so flood insurance is a separate NFIP policy. Any claim payment is subject to your policy's deductible, and the exact amount depends on your own policy.

Insurers and restoration companies commonly use localized pricing software such as Xactimate, which holds separate price lists for more than 460 markets across the U.S. and Canada and updates labor rates monthly. Because those lists are localized and change over time, there is no single public number to quote before a provider writes an estimate for your job.

In an interim snapshot with data as of March 31, 2022, TDI counted 510,772 claims across all lines of insurance, not water damage alone, with about $11.2 billion in expected losses and $8.3 billion paid out at that point. The average incurred loss on residential property claims for the whole event was about $17,600.

Ask which price list and revision date the estimate uses, whether mitigation and repair are priced separately, and what happens if more damage turns up once work starts. Ask for the scope of work in writing before you sign anything.

You are not required to, but comparing more than one estimate can help you see whether the price and scope match the damage you actually have. Ask each provider the same set of questions about pricing, scope, and materials so the estimates are easier to compare side by side.