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Restoration Tips

Guides for Fort Worth Homeowners Dealing With Damage

Written by Fletcher Gaskins, Restoration Tips Editor. Practical answers for the first hours and the weeks after.

Start With the Guide That Matches Your Situation

Most people read about water damage for the first time while it is happening. These guides are written for that moment and for the weeks after it: what to shut off, what to photograph, what can wait, and what cannot.

They are grouped loosely by situation. If water just appeared, start with the first-hour guide. If the problem is a smell or a stain with no obvious source, read the slab leak and AC overflow guides. After a fire, the guide on what to keep is the one most people wish they had read first.

Moisture meter on stained drywall
Reviewing moisture readings in a kitchen
Soot being cleaned from a ceiling

All Restoration Guides

GuideWhat to Do in the First Hour After a Leak or Flood in Fort WorthThe first hour after a leak decides how much of your house you lose, because drywall starts wicking water upward within minutes and mold can follow in 24 to 48 hours.Read the guide GuideHow to Prevent and Handle Frozen Pipes in North TexasFrozen pipes burst in North Texas because many homes run supply lines through attics, exterior walls and uninsulated spaces, and during the February 2021 winter storm Fort Worth recorded more than 700 water main breaks.Read the guide GuideSlab Leak Warning Signs and the Water Damage They Leave BehindA slab leak is a break in a water line running under or inside a concrete foundation, and the most common early sign is a warm spot on the floor from a hot-water line.Read the guide GuideCategory 1, 2 and 3 Water Explained for HomeownersWater damage falls into three categories: Category 1 is clean water from a supply line, Category 2 is gray water with some contamination, and Category 3 is black water like sewage or floodwater.Read the guide GuideHow Quickly Mold Starts After Water Damage, and What Stops ItMold can start growing on wet drywall, carpet pad and wood within 24 to 48 hours after a leak, and it spreads faster in warm, humid houses.Read the guide GuideTexas Mold Assessment and Remediation Rules for HomeownersTexas separates mold assessment from mold remediation, and on one project the assessor and the remediator cannot be the same company.Read the guide GuideAfter a House Fire, What Can Be Cleaned and What Usually GoesAfter a house fire, hard items like glass, metal and ceramic usually clean well, while food, medicine, cosmetics and heavily smoked mattresses usually go.Read the guide GuideAfter a Hail or Wind Storm in Fort Worth: How to Check for LeaksAfter a hail or wind storm in Fort Worth, check the attic first, because hail cracks shingles and breaks vent seals that often leak days later, not during the storm.Read the guide GuideHow to Document Water Damage for Your Insurance ClaimGood documentation for a water damage claim starts before cleanup: photos of every affected room, the source of the leak and damaged belongings, then moisture readings, drying logs and receipts as work goes on.Read the guide GuideAttic AC Condensate Overflow and the Ceiling Damage It CausesAn attic AC unit pulls several gallons of water out of the air on a humid day, and when its condensate drain line clogs, that water overflows the pan onto insulation and ceiling drywall.Read the guide GuideWhat Water Damage Restoration Costs and What Drives the PriceHomeAdvisor reports water damage restoration at $1,383 - $6,369 (average $3,868), and HomeGuide's cost guide puts it at $2,000 to $6,000.Read the guide

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