Frequently Asked Questions

Most standard policies generally cover a sudden and accidental discharge of water, such as a burst pipe, subject to your policy's exclusions and deductible. Continuous leakage or seepage over time is usually excluded. Check your own policy wording, since coverage is never automatic.

Under Texas Insurance Code §542.055, the insurer has until the 15th day after receiving notice of your claim to acknowledge it and request documents, or the 30th business day if it is an eligible surplus lines insurer. Additional deadlines apply once you submit those documents.

A company you hire needs a Texas mold remediation license once the project's mold covers 25 contiguous square feet or more. Below that threshold, and always for your own home under the owner exemption, licensing rules work differently — ask any company you hire about its credentials for the size of the job.

FEMA says wet contents can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours. The EPA and CDC each publish similar drying targets in that same window, in their own separate wording. Removing standing water and drying affected materials quickly lowers the risk either way.

No. A public adjuster is optional. If you hire one, Texas law caps the commission at 10 percent of the settlement in most cases, and requires the adjuster to hold a Texas Department of Insurance license before working on your claim.

Under Texas Insurance Code §542.058, an insurer that takes more than 60 days to pay after receiving everything it reasonably requested can owe interest and other amounts under a separate section of the same chapter. If your claim stalls, the Texas Department of Insurance consumer help line, 800-252-3439, takes complaints, and the Richmond storm and flood cleanup guide covers the weather-related catastrophe extension in more detail.

No. This site is an independent information and referral resource for Richmond homeowners, not a restoration contractor. It explains the process and points you to who to call; hiring and scheduling a provider is a separate step you take on your own.

Texas does not issue one state license specifically for water damage restoration. Related trades carry their own licenses instead: plumbers through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, electrical and HVAC work through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and mold assessment or remediation above 25 contiguous square feet also through TDLR.

Yes. Texas law lets an owner assess or remediate mold on their own residential property, with fewer than 10 dwelling units, without a license, regardless of the area involved. A company you hire to do the same work needs a license once the project reaches 25 contiguous square feet.

No. Under Texas Occupations Code chapter 1958, a license holder may not perform both mold assessment and mold remediation on the same project. If a company assessed the mold, ask a different licensed company to handle the remediation work instead.

Texas Insurance Code §542.059 extends standard claim-handling deadlines by an additional 15 days for a weather-related catastrophe or major natural disaster, as defined by the commissioner. Ask your insurer directly whether a specific storm qualifies for your claim before you count down a deadline yourself.

No. This site provides general information about water damage response and Texas rules for Richmond homeowners, not legal or insurance advice. Confirm any deadline, rule, or coverage question with your own insurer, a licensed attorney, or the relevant City office before you act on it. For situation-specific detail, see the Richmond burst pipe guide or the Richmond storm and flood cleanup guide.

Use your home's main shut-off valve if you can reach it safely, not the valve in the meter box. If you cannot reach or operate the valve, call the City of Richmond Public Works line, 281-342-0559, and ask for help. Do not force a valve you cannot operate.

Call the same number: 281-342-0559. The City's Public Works Department provides day-and-night response, and after normal working hours the line reaches an answering service that contacts the appropriate personnel for you, whether it is a weekday night, a weekend, or a holiday.

Call 281-342-0559 first, any hour of the day. The City assesses whether the blockage sits in the public sewer line or in the property owner's private line before recommending next steps, so contact the City before calling a plumber on your own.

No. That number reaches Richmond City Hall and water billing and new service requests, not emergencies. For a water emergency, a leak, or a sewer backup, call the Public Works line at 281-342-0559 instead, any hour of the day, including weekends and holidays.

Inside Richmond city limits, the City of Richmond Building Department, 281-232-6871, handles permit and floodplain questions. Outside city limits, the county office for your address, such as Fort Bend County Engineering, takes over instead — ask either office which one covers your street.

Enter your address at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center for the official flood zone designation for your property. Local flood history along the Brazos River and Oyster Creek does not by itself tell you which zone your specific street sits in.

The City of Richmond lists FBC ALERT and InformRichmond Emergency Alert on its emergency alerts page. Sign up for either system ahead of storm season so you receive notices before water is already in your home, not after the fact.

Not under a standard policy. TDI guidance says most homeowners policies exclude flood damage, including flooding from a river or creek overflow such as the Brazos River or Oyster Creek. A separate NFIP or private flood policy covers that risk; check your own policy for the exact exclusions.

NFIP policies provide up to $250,000 in building coverage and up to $100,000 in contents coverage. Actual coverage depends on the policy you purchase and your property, so confirm your exact limits and deductible with your agent before a storm arrives.

The standard NFIP waiting period is 30 days after you purchase a policy before coverage takes effect, with exceptions such as a purchase required by a lender. That makes flood insurance something to arrange ahead of a storm threat, not during one.

No. TWIA covers wind and hail only, not flood or storm surge. A separate NFIP or private flood policy is needed for flood damage from the Brazos River or Oyster Creek even if you already carry a TWIA policy on the same home.

This guide does not publish a price list for restoration work, since no official source sets one. Cost depends on the water category, the affected area, and the materials involved; your insurer's adjuster estimate is the reference point for what your claim will cover, not a fixed number.

Keep contaminated materials separate from the rest of the household and wear protective clothing while handling them, following EPA guidance. Photograph items before deciding what to discard, since your insurer or adjuster may need to see them first, not just a description.