Water Damage Restoration San Antonio: $3,868 Avg, Mold Rules

Frozen pipes: San Antonio's lesson from Winter Storm Uri

Winter Storm Uri showed what a hard freeze does to San Antonio plumbing. Texas Public Radio reported that some residents lost power for more than 10 hours during Winter Storm Uri, and some lost water for up to 30 hours. SAWS said the longer water outages most likely meant frozen pipes.

Water from a split supply line starts out clean, but it does not stay that way. The longer it sits in drywall and insulation, the more of the wall has to come out, so start drying the same day.

Is it an emergency? When water damage in San Antonio cannot wait

Water damage is an emergency while water is still coming in, when it is near outlets or the panel, or when a ceiling sags. Even after the leak stops, start drying within 24 to 48 hours: the EPA says wet materials dried in that window usually will not grow mold.

• Big leak you cannot stop: SAWS lists 210-704-SAVE.
• Now: water near outlets, the panel or a light fixture. Shut off the breaker only from a dry spot, then see electricians in San Antonio.
• Now: sewage or a toilet backup. It is contaminated water; see sewage cleanup.
• Today: a pipe leak you have shut off. Call a plumber in San Antonio for the pipe and a restoration company for the drying.
• Can be booked: an old, dry stain with firm drywall and no musty smell. Have it checked soon so it does not become a mold remediation job.

Photograph everything and call your insurer too, and do not sign an assignment of benefits or any paper that hands your claim to a contractor.

Burst pipe in San Antonio: first steps

1. Close the main water shutoff. SAWS lists 210-704-SAVE for big leaks.
2. Keep away from wet outlets. Shut off power at the breaker only if you can reach it from a dry spot. CPS Energy, the city-owned utility, takes outage reports at (210) 353-4357.
3. Smell gas? Leave the house and call CPS Energy's gas and electric emergency line, 1-800-870-1006, from outside.
4. Thaw the rest safely. The American Red Cross says to keep the faucet open and use a heating pad, hair dryer or space heater, never a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, or other open flame. Call a licensed plumber if you cannot reach the frozen section.
5. Photograph, then call your insurer and a restoration company. Do not sign an assignment of benefits or any paper that hands the claim to the contractor.
6. Start drying within 24 to 48 hours. The EPA says that if wet materials dry in that window, in most cases mold will not grow.

How much does burst pipe water damage cost in San Antonio

No San Antonio price turned up in the sources we checked, so these are national. HomeAdvisor puts water damage from plumbing and burst pipes at $1,000 to $4,000, on top of fixing the pipe itself, which its burst pipe guide averages at $500. Its average for a full water damage job is $3,868. See the water damage restoration cost breakdown for per-square-foot pricing.

National figures before insurance. We found no San Antonio-specific price for water damage restoration in the sources we checked.

SAWS Plumbers to People: free leak repair for qualifying owners

SAWS, the San Antonio Water System, runs Plumbers to People, which provides emergency repair of fresh water leaks such as leaking faucets, toilets and broken pipes. To qualify you must be a SAWS customer who owns and lives in the home, the home must be worth no more than $300,000, and you must meet the Uplift income limits (apply at uplift.saws.org).

Only SAWS-contracted plumbers can do the work, and repairs you arrange yourself are not reimbursed. Drain leaks and sewer clogs are not covered, and lifetime limits apply. SAWS customer service is 210-704-7297. For a high bill, SAWS may credit part of the leak's water use for up to two months if you apply within 60 days of the repair with a receipt or a description of the fix. If you cannot find the leak at all, see leak detection.

Mold after a leak: what Texas requires

If a slow leak has already grown mold, Texas rules apply. TDLR licenses mold assessors and remediators. Ask any company for its TDLR license number. If you hire one firm to test, hire a different one to remediate: TDLR says one company may hold both licenses but cannot assess and remediate the same project. TDLR also says visible mold under 25 contiguous square feet can be cleaned up by people who are not licensed. More in mold remediation cost and testing.

Deductibles, contracts and storm chasers in San Antonio

The rules that protect you are the same in Bexar County as anywhere in Texas: TDI says it is illegal for a contractor to waive a deductible or promise a rebate for it, and contractors may share their estimates with your insurer or adjuster. Read every page before you sign, and never sign over your claim.

Local rules and contacts for San Antonio, from official and news sources listed below.

Where to complain about a San Antonio contractor

We found no City of San Antonio or Bexar County office that takes contractor complaints. The Texas Attorney General takes consumer complaints through an online form. TDLR handles complaints about the licensed trades it regulates, including electricians and mold remediators; file online within two years of the event. If the water came in around rooftop solar, see solar service in San Antonio, and for a hail-damaged roof see roof repair in San Antonio. Wet wiring belongs with an electrician in San Antonio. The general steps are in the water damage restoration guide.