Limit the damage first, then call
Your policy expects you to protect the home from further harm once water appears. The Texas Department of Insurance lists the basics: stop the water, remove standing water, start drying, move wet items and make temporary repairs. Tarping a roof or covering a broken window counts.
Report the claim as soon as possible. Then keep every receipt for the steps you take, since reasonable emergency costs are part of the story you tell your insurer. Check your policy for how it words this duty.
Temporary repairs versus permanent repairs
Temporary means protection: a tarp over a damaged roof section, plywood across a broken window, a shutoff valve closed, standing water pulled out and drying equipment running. Permanent means rebuilding: new drywall, new flooring, new cabinets, a replaced roof. TDI's advice is plain, do not make permanent repairs until your insurance company has seen the damage.
That does not mean you wait before drying. Water mitigation is the temporary stage, and moisture left in walls gives mold time to start. Mold can get started in roughly a day on damp material, so drying should not sit idle until a scheduled visit.
If a plumber must cut a pipe or an opening, photograph before and after. Keep removed parts when possible. Ask your insurer before you tear out anything beyond what is needed to stop the loss.
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What to document and why
Documentation is the core of a claim. This table shows the records worth gathering and what each does for you.
| Record | What to capture | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Photos and video | Wide room shots, close shots of the source and each damaged item | Shows condition before cleanup changes the scene |
| Date and time log | When you first saw water, who you called, and when | Supports your timeline and the reporting window |
| Property list | Item, age, brand, where purchased, rough replacement cost | Gives the adjuster a base for contents |
| Damaged items | Keep them until the adjuster has seen them | TDI advises this to confirm the loss |
| Receipts | Plumber, tarp, equipment, hotel, meals | Reasonable emergency costs may be part of the claim |
| Moisture logs | Readings by room from moisture meters and thermal imaging | Show what was wet and when it dried |
| Drying records | Equipment placed, days run, materials removed | Back up the scope of mitigation |
The reporting window for hidden damage
TDI says hidden water damage usually must be reported within days after you first see it. A stain on a ceiling, a soft spot in a floor or a musty cabinet all start the clock in many policies. If you are unsure when you first saw it, write down what you remember and report anyway.
Waiting makes the claim harder. The longer water sits, the more it resembles slow seepage, and ongoing seepage is the kind of loss most policies leave out. Early reports, early photos and early drying keep the record clean.
The adjuster visit and the scope paperwork
The adjuster inspects the cause, the affected rooms and the materials. They may bring their own moisture meter. Have your photo record, your timeline and your property list ready on a tablet or in a folder.
A restoration company can supply the technical side: initial moisture readings, thermal imaging, a diagram of wet areas, daily drying logs and a list of removed materials. These documents come out of the work done to ANSI/IICRC S500, so ask your contractor whether its crews follow that standard. They are descriptions, not coverage decisions.
Once repairs are agreed, water damage repair follows the scope the adjuster and your contractor settle on. Ask for the scope in writing, line by line, and compare it to your drying records. Questions are normal at this stage.
Sudden and accidental water versus flood
A burst pipe, a failed washer hose or a toilet overflow is sudden and accidental, and most Texas home policies cover it. A flood is water rising from outside, whether from a storm, a swollen lake or overland runoff. Home policies do not cover floods, and a separate flood policy is what responds.
Cause also shapes the cleanup. Rising flood water is Category 3, black water, and calls for different handling than a clean supply-line break. For that case, flood damage restoration is the service to ask about, and your flood policy, if you have one, is the place to start.
Little Elm sits on a flood-control lake: check your flood status
Little Elm is a lakeside town on Lewisville Lake, whose dam was completed in 1955 and is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The lake's normal pool is 522 feet and the spillway crest sits at 532 feet. In June 2015, after record May rain and a tropical storm, the lake reached 537 feet, and Little Elm Park's beach and central recreation area went underwater.
If you live near the shoreline, find your address on FEMA's map and put the flood-policy question to your agent. Flood policies often carry a waiting period, so the time to ask is before storm season, not during one. Keep your elevation and map result with your policy papers.
The Corps is funding a dam safety upgrade, with anchors drilled about 180 feet, slope repair and seepage monitoring, scheduled for completion in 2026. It is useful news, but it does not change your policy. Treat it as one more prompt to confirm what your coverage does and does not include. Homeowners in The Colony, with about 23 miles of Lewisville Lake shoreline, and in nearby Frisco should ask the same questions of their agents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I wait for the adjuster before I start drying my home?
No. TDI says to stop the water, remove standing water and start drying while you wait. Document first, then dry, and keep what you remove. Hold off on permanent repairs until your insurer has seen the damage.
What counts as a temporary repair?
Protection that stops more damage: a tarp on the roof, board over a broken window, a closed valve, water extraction and drying. New drywall, flooring or a roof replacement are permanent. When in doubt, ask your insurer before you start.
What if I find water damage weeks after a leak?
Report it the day you find it, and write down what led you to the spot. Delay works against you, and a long-running problem may be read as wear. Check your policy and ask your insurer how it treats your situation.
Does my homeowners policy cover flood from the lake?
No. Flood losses fall outside a standard home policy and need their own flood coverage. Pull up your address on FEMA's mapping tool and then talk to your agent about options and how soon coverage begins.
Is the Lewisville Lake dam upgrade a reason to buy flood insurance?
It is a reason to ask the question, not to assume protection. The upgrade is scheduled for completion in 2026, but a dam project does not change what your home policy covers. Your agent can tell you if standalone flood coverage makes sense where you live.