Water and Storm Damage Help in Wichita Falls, Texas

The city is named for a waterfall that a flood took away. The original falls on the Wichita River were destroyed in an 1886 flood, and the cascade visitors see in Lucy Park today is a man-made replacement built in 1987. That bit of history fits a place where water arrives in extremes. Wichita Falls went through a punishing drought from 2010 through 2013, then in May 2015 recorded 17.00 inches of rain, the wettest month in its history.

The Restoration Job is a free call-connection service, and the line at (888) 317-9980 is open around the clock. It does not send its own crews; it links you with an independent restoration provider that serves Wichita Falls and Wichita County. Those providers commonly handle water damage restoration, flood cleanup, storm repairs and drying, and many offer emergency service.

The Wichita River in May 2015

During the Texas–Oklahoma floods of spring 2015, flooding along the Wichita River prompted the evacuation of 390 homes in the city, and forecasters projected a record crest of 25.5 feet on May 26. Many parts of North Texas recorded more than 20 inches of rain that spring. The rain came only a couple of years after the long drought had ended, a reminder of how fast conditions can swing here.

Homes in the river's floodplain carry the most obvious risk, but heavy rain also floods streets, underpasses and low lots well away from the channel. Look up your address on FEMA's flood map. A standard homeowners policy does not cover rising or flowing surface water, and flood insurance usually has a waiting period, so it needs to be in place well before the forecast turns wet.

Terrible Tuesday and Red River Valley Storms

Few cities know tornadoes as well. An F5 struck on April 3, 1964, killing seven people. On April 10, 1979, the day remembered locally as Terrible Tuesday, an F4 tornado killed 42 people, injured about 1,800 and caused roughly $400 million in damage. Those are the extreme cases. Far more often, spring storms bring hail and high wind that damage roofs, break windows and peel back siding.

Once a roof is open, rain does the lasting damage. Wet insulation, soaked ceiling drywall and water running down inside walls can affect several rooms at once. Tarping the roof and removing wet materials quickly limits the spread. A provider handling storm damage cleanup will typically secure the building first and then start drying.

Ice, Snow and Pipes in an Exposed Corner of Texas

Wichita Falls averages about 4 inches of snow a season, so real winter weather is part of life here. During the February 2021 winter storm, frozen pipes burst in buildings across the state. Supply lines in exterior walls, lines running through crawl spaces, and lines in unheated garages are the usual failure points. Water damage from a frozen pipe tends to appear when it thaws, sometimes in a room no one has entered in days.

• Insulate exposed pipes and disconnect garden hoses before winter.
• Open sink cabinets on exterior walls during hard freezes.
• Leave heat on in vacant houses and rental units.
• Shut off the main immediately if you hear running water with no tap open.

Drying a North Texas House the Right Way

The city averages close to 28 inches of precipitation a year, with the most rain in early summer, and warm, humid stretches slow natural drying. A restoration provider will typically extract standing water, measure moisture in floors, walls and subfloors, remove what cannot be saved, and run dehumidifiers and air movers until readings match dry areas of the house. River and street water is treated as contaminated, so carpet pad and lower drywall it touched are usually removed. Ask for a written drying log; it is useful for your insurance claim and shows when the job is actually finished.

Mold After Wet Springs and Summer Heat

Summers here are long and hot; in 2011 the city became the first in Texas to record 100 days at or above 100°F in a single year. Combine that heat with a wet wall, a damp crawl space or soaked attic insulation, and mold can start growing within days. Watch for musty odors, spotting on drywall, and warped baseboards after any leak or storm. Fix the moisture source first. For anything beyond a small patch, a provider experienced in mold remediation will contain the area and remove affected materials so spores do not spread.