Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions Round Rock and Williamson County homeowners ask most when they call. Each one leads with the answer.

The hallway tile is warm and the water bill doubled. What is going on?

A hot-water line under the slab is probably leaking. On a slab house the water has nowhere to drip, so it warms the floor above it and spreads under the tile before anything looks wet. Turn off the water heater's supply if you can reach it, and read about leak detection before anyone breaks concrete.

Water is on the kitchen floor right now. What do I do first?

Close the main valve at the curb box or where the line enters the garage, and shut off power to any outlet the water reached. Move what you can carry out of the wet area, open the cabinet doors, and photograph every room before anything is thrown away. Then call and describe what you see.

The pipe split in the attic during the freeze. How far did the water go?

Farther than the stain. Water from an attic line drops through the insulation, runs along the top of the ceiling drywall, and follows the wall studs to the slab. Burst pipe water damage work starts by metering every wall below the break, not just the ceiling that is dripping.

We used towels and a box fan and the floor looks dry. Are we done?

Probably not. Tile and laminate dry on top while the grout, the underlayment, and the bottom of the drywall stay wet, and Central Texas humidity slows everything down. Structural drying runs dehumidifiers and air movers until the meter says the materials are back to their dry target.

Does a Texas homeowners policy cover a slab leak?

It depends on the wording, and nobody here has read your policy. Many policies treat a sudden burst pipe or a failed water heater as covered and treat a slow slab leak as gradual damage that is excluded, sometimes with an add-on that covers the tear-out but not the pipe. Ask the provider to log readings and photos so the adjuster has a record.

Brushy Creek came up into the garage. Is that handled like a pipe leak?

No. Creek and street water carries mud, fuel, and whatever the storm drains picked up, so porous materials it touched usually come out instead of being dried. Flash flood cleanup treats it as contaminated water. Keep kids and pets out of the garage until it is cleaned.

The water heater is in the attic and the ceiling is sagging. Should I poke it?

Do not. A sagging ceiling under an attic tank is holding water, and it can let go in one piece. Put a bucket under the low point, stay out from under it, and shut off the heater's supply valve. Water heater leak cleanup covers the ceiling, the insulation, and the walls below.

My HOA has rules about contractors and dumpsters. Does the crew deal with that?

Ask when you call. Most Round Rock subdivisions from Teravista to Behrens Ranch have an HOA, and some limit where a dumpster or a trailer can sit and for how long. The provider can tell you what they need on site, and you or the management company can clear it before the truck arrives.

Do I need a permit from the city to fix the damage?

Not for extraction and drying. Replacing drywall, plumbing, or wiring inside Round Rock usually does, and the city's Building Inspection Division only issues permits to registered contractors. Outside the city limits the permit goes through Williamson County or the town you live in. The provider handles the permit when the rebuild needs one.

Can the provider tell me the cost over the phone?

No, and neither can this site. The cost depends on where the water came from, how many days it sat, and what it soaked, and none of that is known until someone takes readings inside the house. Ask for the scope on paper before any work begins.

The house is on Blackland clay east of I-35. Does that change anything?

It changes how the slab moves. Clay swells after a wet spring and shrinks in a dry August, and that movement stresses the water lines cast into or under the foundation. If the floor has cracked and a wet spot appeared at the same time, say so when you call, because the provider will want to find the line before it dries anything.

How do I check whether the plumber or the mold company is licensed?

Look them up before you sign. Texas plumbers are licensed by the State Board of Plumbing Examiners, and mold remediation companies are licensed through TDLR when the job is big enough to fall under state rules. The About page links both lookups. Providers represent their own credentials.

The leak was in a rental I own in Hutto. Who calls?

Either of you can. Tell us whether you are the owner, the tenant, or the property manager and how to reach the person who can let the crew in. Write down when the leak was noticed and which rooms are affected, because that record helps both sides later.

What to have in hand when you dial the Round Rock line

The address, a callback number, and a plain description: where the water is, whether it is still coming, and whether it came from a pipe, an appliance, the attic, or outside. Say if there is standing water right now, and mention a gate code or HOA entry if the crew will need one. Call (512) 562-9101.

Still Have Questions?

Call us at (512) 562-9101. We are happy to help.

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