Flash flood cleanup in Lake Ridge

A hillside house has an uphill side and a downhill side. The uphill side catches sheet flow from the lot above, especially where the ground has been cut level for the foundation. Retaining walls, patios and planters can pond that water against the house and send it through a door. Driveways sloping down to a garage collect water from the street as well. And when the soil is thin or saturated, hard rain runs off instead of soaking in.

University of North Texas notes describe the Eagle Ford, the shale on the city's western side, as subject to severe erosion and to crumbling.^[4] So expect loose material. In a bad storm, the water that reaches a door may carry a good deal of soil, leaf litter and gravel with it.

Storm water is treated as contaminated, and the EPA warns that flood water may contain bacteria or chemicals.^[5] That rules out some of the gentler options for keeping fine finishes that are available with a clean leak. Solid wood trim and doors can often be cleaned and kept. Natural stone can be cleaned, though it may stain, so ask a stone specialist. Upholstered items and rugs are the hard cases, and some specialist cleaners may have a view.

Before anything is thrown out, take a photo and write it on a list. Texas insurers aren't all alike, and a separate flood policy, if you have one, may have different rules on contents.

Retaining walls and major drainage changes may need permits or engineering, so ask Cedar Hill's Building Inspections office before you build.^[8] Check your section's rules, and consider where your water goes next, since sending it onto a neighbor's lot can cause problems of its own. For more detail, see flash flood cleanup and the Lake Ridge page. For the water that came from inside the house, read Lake Ridge burst pipes.

Large lots have more outdoor equipment to check. Pool pumps, outdoor kitchens, landscape lighting and irrigation controllers may have been under water, and they should stay off until a qualified person has looked at them. A pool that has taken in muddy runoff may overflow toward the house, so check how it drains. Clear silt from yard drains before the next rain, and photograph damaged equipment with the rest of your records. Ask your agent how outdoor items are treated under each policy, since the answer may differ from the house itself.

Small gullies cut by one storm usually deepen in the next one. Fill or stabilize them when the ground is workable, and look at where they start, since a downspout or driveway edge is often to blame. Avoid piling loose fill against the house. Ask a landscaper or drainage specialist about anything larger, and photograph the channel beforehand.

Large glass doors may have silt in their tracks and weep holes. Clear these out, because blocked tracks can send the next rain indoors.

Keep receipts for boots, bags and fans.