Why does San Antonio flood so fast?
San Antonio sits at the southern end of Flash Flood Alley, the band along the Balcones Escarpment that is considered the most flash-flood-prone region in the country. Shallow soils over limestone absorb little rain, so runoff races into very flashy creek beds.
Creeks with a history of flooding run all through the area: the San Antonio River, San Pedro, Alazán, Salado, Leon, Martinez, Calaveras, Olmos and Beitel creeks. Rain tends to come in two peaks, in May and June and again in October, often in short, intense bursts. A street that is dry at midnight can be under water by 3 a.m.
Hail, roof leaks and wind-driven rain
Spring storms bring hail, and San Antonio has had some of the costliest hailstorms in Texas. In April 2016, a series of storms, including hail up to 4.5 inches in Helotes, damaged about 125,000 homes across the area.
A hail-damaged roof does not always leak right away. The water shows up at the next heavy rain: in the attic insulation, the ceiling drywall, the top of an interior wall. Wet insulation holds water like a sponge, so we check above the ceiling as well as below it. Get the roof itself looked at by a roofer; we dry and clean up what the water reached inside.
Floodwater is not the same as a pipe leak
Water from a burst supply line starts out clean. Water that comes in from outside, from a creek, a street or the yard, is treated as contaminated from the start. It carries soil, sewage and chemicals.
That changes what can be saved. Carpet, pad, and the bottom of drywall and insulation that floodwater soaked usually have to come out. Hard surfaces are cleaned and disinfected, and the structure is dried with the house closed up, since outside air here is muggy for much of the year. We explain each decision as we go and photograph everything before it leaves the house.
What does flood cleanup cost?
Every flood job starts with a free inspection and an itemized estimate. We never price restoration from a list. The cost depends on the water category (floodwater is the most involved), the square footage affected, the materials that got wet and how long drying takes.
We provide moisture readings, photos and a detailed estimate for your claim. Flood coverage is often a separate policy from homeowners insurance, so check with your agent. See how insurance works with us.
Homes and businesses, after any storm
We work in houses, apartments, rentals, offices and shops across San Antonio and Bexar County, and up the I-35 and I-10 corridors. If the water came from a pipe or an appliance instead, see water damage restoration. For the Northeast Side along Beitel and Salado creeks, see our Northeast Side page.