When storm water is spreading inside your home
If water is entering your home during or after a storm, treat it as an emergency. Our 24/7 dispatch line takes these calls at night and on weekends. While you wait, move valuables off the floor, put towels at the threshold, and keep people and pets out of any water that came from outdoors.
Cut power to wet rooms if the panel is in a dry place and easy to reach. Photograph the water line and any damage to windows, doors or the roof. We can often get someone out today, schedule permitting.
Soaked window frames, wet garage floor, a limb through the roof
Storm water shows up as rain blown under a door, a puddle at the garage threshold, wet carpet below a window, or a tree limb that opened the roof. Gutters that overflow can push water down a wall, and yard runoff can reach the slab edge. The trade term for the cleanup is water mitigation, meaning extraction, removal of ruined materials and structural drying.
Need storm water damage cleanup in Little Elm?
Call the 24/7 line.
Storm safety: power lines, wet panels and damaged structures
Before you go near the water
A downed power line or a tree resting on wires is a 911 and utility call, and everyone stays back. Water around a breaker panel, outlets or a damaged service line means nobody goes in. If you smell gas or see sparks, leave and call 911 or the gas company first, then call us.
Do not climb onto a roof, and do not enter a room under a damaged ceiling. Tarps and board-ups are temporary repairs that protect the house until the adjuster sees it.
Why storm water is treated as contaminated
Water that entered from outdoors picks up soil, fertilizer, fuel and bacteria on the way in. Under ANSI/IICRC S500 logic, we treat it as Category 2 or Category 3, which is not clean water. That decision affects what gets removed and what gets cleaned.
| Situation | Category | What is usually done |
|---|---|---|
| Rain through a window frame, brief and clean | Category 2 | Extract, dry, clean and treat the area |
| Runoff across a garage or patio into the house | Category 3 | Remove porous materials, clean, treat and dry |
| Rain through a roof opening after a limb falls | Category 2 to 3 depending on contact | Remove wet insulation and soft drywall, then dry |
| Rising flood water from a lake, creek or street | Category 3 | See our flood damage restoration page |
Storm water versus flood water versus a roof leak
This page covers water that comes in at windows, doors, garage thresholds and storm damage points. Rising water that moves across the ground and into the house is flood damage, and it follows different insurance rules. A leak that appears after a roof opening is covered on our roof leak water damage page, which follows the water through attic and ceiling.
How we dry the house after a storm
Extraction units pull standing water first, then moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras trace where it wicked. Carpet pad, soaked insulation and low drywall are removed when the water was contaminated. Hard surfaces are cleaned and treated with an antimicrobial.
Air movers and LGR dehumidifiers dry framing, subfloor and wall cavities. HEPA air scrubbers run when demolition stirs dust. Daily readings tell the crew when the structure is dry.
Flooring gets a decision of its own. Carpet over a slab can often be dried after a clean extraction, while contaminated pad is replaced. Laminate and engineered wood tend to swell at the seams, so they are checked early with a meter before anyone promises they can stay.
Rainfall patterns and the lake next door
NWS Dallas/Fort Worth climate normals put annual precipitation at about 37 inches, with October's 4.37 inches and May's 4.78 inches the wettest months. Plan gutter cleaning and a threshold check before those months. A clear downspout that drains away from the slab is the cheapest defense you have.
Little Elm also sits on a flood control lake. In June 2015, record May rain and a tropical storm pushed Lewisville Lake to 537 feet, according to the Corps of Engineers and local news coverage. Look up your address on the FEMA flood map and ask your agent about a separate flood policy, because Texas Department of Insurance says home policies do not cover floods.
What affects the cost of storm water cleanup
| Factor | What it means for the scope |
|---|---|
| Water category | Contaminated water adds containment and disposal steps |
| Square footage wet | Larger areas need more extraction and equipment |
| Materials affected | Carpet, hardwood and drywall each dry differently |
| Drying days | Equipment runs until readings meet the standard |
| Temporary protection | Tarps and board-ups add scope before rebuilding |
Wind driven rain through a storm opening is often treated differently from rising flood water, so review your policy and question your insurer which applies. Want your real number? Call (972) 945-2885.
Mistakes after a storm
- Wading through water near a panel or a downed line.
- Climbing onto a wet roof to place a tarp yourself.
- Keeping soaked carpet pad because the surface looks dry.
- Making permanent repairs before the adjuster sees the damage.
- Ignoring a musty smell a week later.
Crews serving The Colony and Aubrey see the same errors after heavy storms.
Need storm water damage cleanup in Little Elm?
Call the 24/7 line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is emergency storm water cleanup available in Little Elm late on a Friday night?
Yes. Night calls get answered, and ask us about a same-day visit, including after a late storm. Tell us whether anything is down on the property.
Is storm water clean or contaminated?
Water that came in from outside is treated as Category 2 or 3. It carries soil and bacteria, so porous materials usually come out.
What is the difference between storm damage and flood damage?
Storm damage here means rain entering at openings. Flood damage means water rising from the ground, a lake or a street, and it usually needs a separate flood policy.
Can I put a tarp on the roof myself?
Please do not climb a wet roof. A roofer or tarp contractor can place a temporary cover, and the insurer treats that as a temporary repair.
Does my homeowners policy cover water that came under the garage door?
Policies vary. Texas Department of Insurance says home policies do not cover floods, so ask your insurer how it classifies the water at your address.