Central Texas may not be on the coast, but tropical storms and hurricanes can bring devastating rainfall and wind damage hundreds of miles inland. Remnants of Gulf hurricanes regularly cause flooding in Bell, McLennan, and Coryell Counties — sometimes more damaging than coastal wind because our inland drainage isn't built for tropical rain volumes.
Hurricane Harvey in 2017 dropped an unprecedented 51 inches of rain in parts of Southeast Texas. By the time the storm reached Waco, it had weakened — but still delivered 4–6 inches. That was enough to cause widespread flood damage across McLennan County. Preparation is not optional.
Pre-Season Preparation (May–June):
• Create a home inventory. Photo every room, open every cabinet, record model numbers and serial numbers of major appliances. Store in the cloud — Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud — not just on your phone.
• Review your homeowner's policy. Understand exactly what's covered and what's not. Know your deductible. Know whether you have NFIP flood insurance (you probably don't).
• Inspect your roof. If shingles are curled, cracked, or missing, get them replaced before storm season. Insurance may deny storm damage if the roof was already failing.
• Trim trees near your home. Dead limbs are projectiles in 60 mph winds.
• Reinforce garage doors. Garage door failure is a leading cause of whole-house roof failure in high winds.
Pre-Storm (24–48 hours out):
• Clear gutters and downspouts. Clogged gutters back water up under shingles and into attics.
• Secure outdoor furniture, grills, planters. Anything the wind can pick up.
• Photograph the exterior of your home, property, and vehicles. Date-stamped photos are claim gold.
• Have an emergency kit: water, food, flashlights, batteries, cash, portable charger, important documents in a waterproof container.
• Identify a safe interior room — an interior closet or bathroom on the ground floor — for high-wind shelter.
During the storm:
• Stay inside. Watch for water intrusion at exterior walls and windows.
• Keep your phone charged. Know how to reach family and insurance.
• If you see ceiling staining, place a tub or bucket under it. Don't ignore it — ceiling drywall can suddenly collapse when saturated.
• Do NOT leave during the storm to inspect damage. Wait until the storm has fully passed.
After the storm:
• Safety first. Downed power lines. Flooded roads. Unstable structures. Don't be the third person killed cleaning up after a storm.
• Document everything with photos and video BEFORE touching anything or starting cleanup.
• Call your insurance carrier to report damage. Get a claim number.
• Call restoration. Don't wait for the insurance adjuster to arrive — water damage compounds every hour.
• Emergency tarp or board-up is almost always covered as part of mitigation under your policy.
Our team responded to a Harker Heights roof leak after a spring hailstorm that damaged shingles — the homeowner didn't see damage for 48 hours, then her ceiling collapsed. Fast response limited the damage; slow response would have been a full rebuild.
Call (254) 248-7776 for emergency storm damage response across Central Texas. 60-minute dispatch. IICRC-certified. Insurance-direct.