Frequently Asked Questions

Most standard homeowners policies generally cover sudden and accidental water discharge, which is how a burst pipe is usually treated, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. Continuous leakage or seepage over time is commonly excluded. Your policy wording controls, so read your specific policy or ask your agent.

If the insurer has received all the items it reasonably requested and still takes more than 60 days to pay, it may owe interest and other damages under Ins. Code Section 542.058(a) and Section 542.060. Contact the Texas Department of Insurance, 800-252-3439, if you think your insurer has missed this deadline.

Ask Pasadena's Permit Department, 713-475-5575 or permitdept@pasadenatx.gov, whether your specific repair needs a permit before you start work; requirements can vary by the scope of the job. The department can tell you what applies to your address under the codes the city currently enforces.

No. A sudden and accidental discharge, like a burst pipe, is usually covered under most standard policies. Continuous or repeated seepage from a slow, hidden leak is commonly excluded, per the Texas Department of Insurance. Ask your insurer how it classifies your specific loss before you assume coverage.

No. A public adjuster is optional and must hold a Texas Department of Insurance license. Total commission generally may not exceed 10 percent of the settlement, Ins. Code Section 4102.104(a), and no percentage fee applies when the insurer pays or commits in writing to pay the policy limit within 72 hours of the loss report, Section 4102.104(b).

Not later than the 15th day after the insurer receives notice of your claim, or the 30th business day if the insurer is an eligible surplus lines insurer, under Ins. Code Section 542.055(a). That is also when the insurer must request the documents it needs from you.

Call 911 only if there is danger to life. Otherwise, shut off the water at your home's main valve if you can reach it safely, photograph the damage once it is safe, then work through the right city department, your insurer and a local restoration provider.

Clean water comes from a supply line or appliance with no contamination at the source. Gray water is used water from sinks or appliances that may carry some contamination. Sewage or floodwater has been in contact with waste or the outdoors; treat it as contaminated and avoid contact.

A company you hire needs a TDLR mold remediation license once the project's mold covers 25 contiguous square feet or more, under Texas Occupations Code Section 1958.102(c). The law lets an owner assess or remediate mold on the owner's own residential property with fewer than 10 dwelling units, with no area limit, Section 1958.102(e).

Contact the Pasadena Permit Department at 713-475-5575 or permitdept@pasadenatx.gov and ask whether your specific repair needs a permit before you start work. Rules vary by the scope of the job, and the department can tell you what applies to your address. Outside Pasadena city limits, ask the county office for your address instead.

Not later than the 15th business day after the insurer receives all the items, statements and forms it requires, under Ins. Code Section 542.056(a). If the insurer needs more time, it must accept or reject the claim not later than the 45th day after it notifies you, Section 542.056(d).

The Texas Department of Insurance takes consumer complaints about insurers at 800-252-3439, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central. Complaints can cover a missed deadline, a denied claim you want reviewed, or another problem with how an insurer handled your claim under Texas law.

This site is an independent guide that helps Pasadena homeowners find local water damage restoration providers; it is not a contractor itself. When you use the contact information on this site to reach a provider, the site may be paid for that connection; that does not change what is published here.

Call Pasadena Public Works at 713-475-7836 for Public Works questions. Call the Permit Department at 713-475-5575 for permit questions, or City Hall at 713-477-1511 if you are not sure which department handles your issue. Call 911 only if there is danger to life. For a burst pipe specifically, see the Pasadena burst pipe response guide.

No. The City of Pasadena's directory lists daytime numbers for Public Works, Water Billing and other departments, but no separate after-hours line for water emergencies appears on the city's site. If you cannot reach a city department and the situation threatens life or property, call 911.

Contact the City of Pasadena Engineering Department at 713-475-7835 for floodplain requirements, flood maps and elevation information for your address. This is the department the city names for flood-map questions, not Public Works or Permits. Doing this before a storm, rather than during one, gives you time to plan.

Inside Pasadena, the Permit Department issues permits at 713-475-5575 or permitdept@pasadenatx.gov. The city adopted the 2024 International Building, Residential, Mechanical and Plumbing Codes effective February 2, 2026, so ask the Permit Department which of your repairs need a permit under the current codes.

The city links Ready Pasadena Alerts from its website for storm and emergency notifications. Emergency Management, at 713-475-5588, can also point you to the sign-up if you cannot find it online. The link sits in the site's footer alongside other city contact information.

City departments only serve addresses inside Pasadena's city limits. If you live outside the city, the county office for your address handles floodplain, permit and utility questions instead, and its contact information will be different from what is listed on this page.

Open a claim with your insurer once the water is stopped and it is safe to document the damage, and call a restoration provider around the same time so cleanup can start without unnecessary delay. This page is general information, not legal or insurance advice.

No. Most standard homeowners policies generally exclude flood damage, whether it comes from a bayou, storm surge or heavy rain pooling around the house. The National Flood Insurance Program is the separate policy that covers flood damage; ask your agent about buying it before the next storm.

NFIP flood insurance covers up to $250,000 for the structure and up to $100,000 for contents, with coverage normally starting 30 days after purchase, with some exceptions. It is separate from your homeowners policy and has its own limits and waiting period.

CDC guidance says to dry the affected area fully and quickly within 24 to 48 hours after a flood, since wet materials can support mold growth. Removing standing water and drying materials promptly reduces the risk, though results vary by material and humidity.

Ask the Permit Department, 713-475-5575, whether your specific rebuilding work needs a permit; requirements can vary by the scope of the job. If your address is in the floodplain, the Engineering Department, 713-475-7835, has the flood-map and elevation information that applies before you rebuild.

Yes. In a weather-related catastrophe or major natural disaster, as defined by the commissioner, every claim-handling deadline under Texas Insurance Code chapter 542 extends by an additional 15 days, Section 542.059(b). Track the date you gave notice, since the extension runs from that subchapter's normal deadlines.

Photograph and inventory damaged belongings before you decide what to do with them. Do not throw them away until your insurer or adjuster has advised you, unless they present a health or safety hazard to keep in the home. This follows FEMA's general guidance for flood cleanup.

Hurricane Harvey in August 2017 and Hurricane Beryl in July 2024 both brought flooding to the Pasadena area. Past flooding is not a prediction of where the next storm will hit, so check your flood zone and insurance coverage regardless of your street's history.