A pipe that freezes and splits can send water through a ceiling, a wall cavity and a floor in a short time, and the damage keeps spreading while the water runs. Most of what decides the size of the repair happens in the first hour.
The first hour
- Shut off the water at the main valve. It is usually at the meter or where the main line enters the house. If your pipes freeze, the Texas Department of Insurance says to turn off the water at the shutoff valve (TDI), so a split pipe does not flood the house as it thaws.
- Turn off power to wet areas at the breaker panel, but only if you can reach the panel without standing in water. If you cannot, leave it alone.
- Photograph and video everything before you move it, and keep receipts for what you spend (TDI).
- Call your insurance company, then follow up in writing. A written notice gives you a dated record of when you reported the loss.
- Call a plumber for the pipe and get the water out. The longer materials sit wet, the more of them have to be replaced.
What insurance usually covers in Texas
The Texas Department of Insurance says most homeowner and renters policies cover sudden and accidental water damage, and it gives a burst pipe as an example (TDI). It also warns that a policy might not pay for frozen-pipe damage if you did not protect the pipes, such as by keeping the heater on (TDI).
- Don't make permanent repairs until your insurance company has seen the damage (TDI). Stopping the water and drying the structure are the kind of steps that prevent more damage.
- Renters: the owner's policy covers the building. Your belongings are covered only by renters insurance.
- Leaving town in winter? Our advice: read the freeze section of your policy before you go, keep the heat on, and know where the shutoff is.
Extraction and drying
FMGC does the water extraction and structural drying. Standing water comes out first, then air movers and dehumidifiers go in. Moisture readings are taken on a schedule and logged until the framing, the subfloor and the slab reach their dry target. That log is the record your adjuster will ask for, and it decides which materials can stay. If your insurer has already sent a drying vendor, we work from that vendor's readings instead.
The rebuild
Once the readings say dry and the plumber has fixed the line, the rooms go back together in order: framing or subfloor repairs, insulation, drywall with the texture matched, paint, then flooring, trim and cabinets. Ceilings under an upstairs bathroom or an attic line are common with burst pipes, and a repaired ceiling usually needs the whole surface repainted so the patch does not show.
Before the next freeze
- Find your main water shutoff now, tag it, and show everyone in the house.
- Start with attic pipes. TDI says many Texas homeowners saw attic pipes freeze (TDI).
- Wrap outdoor faucets and disconnect hoses.
- Keep the heat on, even when you are away.
- Take photos of your rooms now, so you have "before" pictures if you ever need them.
Common questions
- Can I patch the drywall myself after a pipe bursts?
- Not until the wall cavity has been dried and checked with a moisture meter. Drywall can look dry while the stud and insulation behind it are still wet, and closing a wet wall traps the moisture.
- Does FMGC fix the pipe itself?
- A licensed plumber repairs the pipe. FMGC does the water extraction, the drying and the rebuild, and coordinates the timing with the plumber so walls are not closed before the line is fixed.
- Will my insurance cover a burst pipe?
- The Texas Department of Insurance says most homeowner and renters policies cover sudden and accidental water damage, such as a burst pipe. TDI also warns that a policy might not pay for frozen-pipe damage if the pipes were not protected, for example by keeping the heater on. Your policy and your adjuster decide what is paid.
- Do you handle the insurance claim for me?
- No. Texas law restricts contractors from acting as public adjusters. We give you an itemized written estimate and the drying records that you and your adjuster can work from.
Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, Avoid frozen pipes and costly water damage, Winter safety and When are water damage and mold covered by insurance? TDI Consumer Help Line: 800-252-3439.