In mid-July 2026, the National Weather Service issued repeated flash flood warnings as multi-day heavy rain moved across the Hill Country, the Edwards Plateau, and the San Antonio area — including Bexar, Comal, Kerr, Bandera, Medina, and Uvalde counties. If your home took on water, here's the honest version of what to do next: dry everything within 24–48 hours, document it, and don't sign a big remediation contract while you're still wet and stressed. Many homes that dry out fast need no professional remediation at all.
Unlike the flooded-basement pictures on the news, most homes in San Antonio, New Braunfels, and San Marcos are slab-on-grade — water comes in at floor level and spreads. That changes the checklist: the risk isn't a wet basement, it's wet drywall, baseboards, and insulation in the bottom foot of your walls, plus carpet padding that never fully dries. Press on baseboards a day after cleanup; if they're soft or the wall feels cool and damp, that section may need to be opened up to dry. That's a fix measured in feet of drywall, not a whole-house remediation — our cost guide shows what fair prices look like.
If you rent, two things at once are true: your landlord is generally required to repair conditions that materially affect health or safety — which includes water intrusion and the mold that can follow — after you give written notice, and your own belongings are generally your responsibility (renters insurance may help). Send that written notice today, keep the dated photos from step 4, and see our renters guide for what to say and how the process works.
Standing water you can't remove, sewage backup, a large soaked area, or water inside walls or ceilings. Acting fast is almost always cheaper than the mold that follows.
Water got in but you've removed it and drying is underway. Watch for musty smells or stains over the next week, and test only if a question remains.
A small amount of water, fully dried within a day, on hard non-porous surfaces. Keep it dry and ventilated — you very likely don't need to spend a dime.
After a widely reported flood, door-knockers and urgent phone pitches follow. Some are fine; some are not. The honest rule: no reputable company needs you to sign tonight. Get the water out first, take your photos, and compare at least two quotes for anything over a few hundred dollars. Our cost guide shows what mold and water-damage work typically costs, so you can spot a scare-quote when you see one.
It depends on how the water got in. Standard homeowners policies often exclude rising surface water — that's typically a separate flood policy, like NFIP, and flood-policy uptake in the Hill Country is low, so don't assume you have one. Sewer or drain backup often needs its own rider, and other sudden water events may be treated differently again. This is exactly why the dated photos in step 4 matter. Your insurer makes the coverage call, not us — call them early and ask directly.
Mold can begin growing on damp materials within about 24–48 hours. The priority right now is drying — get standing water out, run the AC, fans, and a dehumidifier, and pull up soaked rugs and padding. Speed matters more than testing in the first two days.
In Texas, landlords are generally required to repair conditions that materially affect health or safety — which includes water intrusion and resulting mold — after you give written notice. Send notice in writing right away, keep dated photos, and keep copies of everything. Your own belongings are typically your responsibility — renters insurance may help. More in our renters guide.
Often, no. If the water is out and everything is thoroughly dry within about 48 hours, many homes need no professional remediation at all. Where materials stayed wet longer — drywall, carpet padding, insulation — removing those materials may be needed. Get an honest read before you sign anything.
Get an honest read before you spend anything. The free AI Mold Advisor will tell you if this is a dry-it-yourself situation — most flood cleanups are.
✨ Ask the AI Mold Advisor — free