For McKinney residents
For water damage restoration in McKinney, TX, stop the water at the main, film every room and begin drying within 24 to 48 hours. Flood from outside is not part of a standard policy. Requests cover McKinney, Melissa, Anna, Princeton and nearby ZIPs.
Which McKinney addresses do you take requests from?
This page covers water damage restoration in McKinney, TX and the towns around it. McKinney home ZIPs are 75069, 75070 and 75071. Others are Josephine 75164, Nevada 75173, Princeton 75407, Anna 75409, Blue Ridge 75424, Farmersville 75442 and Melissa 75454. PO box ZIPs are Copeville 75121 and Westminster 75485.
That is a wide spread of north Collin County. Wikipedia calls McKinney the county seat, about 32 miles north of Dallas. Service areas differ by provider, so you confirm your street on the call.
To the south, Allen and Wylie, Frisco, Prosper and Celina and Plano each have a page of their own.
Does McKinney flood?
Wikipedia does not describe a flood history for McKinney, and this page will not make one up. It says the city sits on the Texas blackland prairies and that spring is the wettest season. The National Weather Service lists May as the wettest month at DFW Airport, at 4.78 inches in a normal year.
The county has water of its own. Wikipedia lists Lavon Lake and part of Lake Ray Hubbard among Collin County's lakes, and says 45 of its 886 square miles are water. It also mentions Sister Grove Creek. None of that tells you whether a specific lot is at risk, so check it on FEMA's flood map.
Moving water is dangerous at small depths. Ready.gov says six inches can knock a person down and a foot can carry off a vehicle. Water that enters from outside is Category 3 under IICRC S500, so read flood cleanup first, and the flood zone guide if you are buying.
What does McKinney's fast growth mean for a house here?
Much of the housing arrived during a long boom. Wikipedia reports 54,369 residents in the 2000 Census, 131,117 in 2010 and 195,308 in 2020. The 2020 count was 72,876 housing units, and 6.2% of them were vacant.
Newer does not mean leak-proof. Water heaters, supply lines, dishwashers and attic air handlers fail at any age, and a builder-era house can have a line behind drywall that nobody has seen. Ask a plumber what is original in your house and how old it is.
| Place | 2020 Census figure | Why it matters for a leak |
|---|---|---|
| McKinney | 195,308 residents, 72,876 housing units | Many homes share the same era and parts |
| Melissa | 13,901 residents, 4,444 housing units | Fast-growing, with few empty homes |
| Anna | 16,896 residents, 5,551 housing units | 75.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied |
| Princeton | 17,027 residents, 5,494 housing units | Spread over 14.2 square miles |
Hear running water with every tap off? Start with the slab leak guide, and read about the water heater leak signs if the tank is in the garage or attic.
Do tornadoes and hail cause water damage in Collin County?
They do, mostly by opening a roof. Wikipedia records an F4 tornado in Melissa on April 13, 1921 that killed 13 people, and a 2006 storm whose F3 tornado hit nearby Westminster and killed three. Old history, but it shows how fast a storm can strip a roof.
Hail is the more frequent risk. The National Weather Service says the April 11, 2016 supercell affected 80% of homes in Wylie, in neighboring Collin County, with damage above $300 million. The same agency reports softball-size hail on Dallas and Tarrant counties in May 1995.
- Look at the attic ceiling and the decking after any hailstorm.
- Take photos of shingles, gutters and vents before a tarp goes on.
- Keep the tarp invoice for your insurer.
Trace a stain with the roof leak guide, and read hail storm roof leaks for what hail does to flashing and vents.
How are the towns around McKinney different?
Each began as a railroad stop and kept its own scale. Wikipedia says the railroad arrived in McKinney in 1872 and made it the commercial center of Collin County. Anna's depot, built in 1885, is the oldest railroad station still standing in Texas. Princeton grew where a rail line crossed farmland.
Area matters when you call. McKinney covers 62.9 square miles, while Melissa covers 10.2 and Anna 14.1. US 75 runs north through Melissa and Anna, and US 380 runs east to Princeton, so a provider driving out from the south crosses real distance.
Older downtown buildings behave differently from a new subdivision. The McKinney square holds a courthouse built in 1876 and a 1911 post office, as Wikipedia notes. If you own or rent in an older building, ask the owner about its roof, its drains and its past leaks. The commercial water damage page covers shops and offices.
What did the February 2021 freeze do in North Texas?
It broke pipes across the state. The Texas Department of Insurance counted 511,473 claims and about $11.5 billion in expected insured losses from the storm. Its average residential property loss was about $17,800, and the average residential claim took 61.4 days to close.
The National Weather Service says DFW Airport stayed at or below freezing for 139 straight hours, with a low of -2 F on February 16. In a normal year the airport sees 29.2 days at or below 32 F, so a hard freeze is not rare. Read winter storm 2021 pipe damage for what that week did to houses.
Attics, garages and kitchen cabinets are where the Red Cross sees the most exposed supply pipes. See frozen pipe prevention before the next freeze, and burst pipe damage if one has already split.
How long does a Texas insurer have to answer a water claim?
Under TDI's consumer steps, your insurer gets 15 business days to confirm it received the claim. A second clock of 15 business days starts once it has the documents it asked for, and a denial must come with written reasons.
An insurer may stretch the decision deadline by 45 days if it tells you why. After a weather catastrophe TDI itself can add 15 more days. Payment, once agreed in full or in part, is due within five business days.
These steps come from TDI's consumer page, so read it for the exact wording. Start with your own paperwork: the insurance claims guide lists what to save, and the loss of use page covers living costs while a house dries. FEMA adds that most homeowners policies leave flood out.
What are the first steps while the house is still wet?
Start with the source, then the people, then the drying. For a flooded house the CDC sets a target of 24 to 48 hours to dry everything out, and says soaked carpet and upholstery that will not dry quickly should come out. Mold needs only a short head start.
- Turn off the water at the main, or at the heater if the tank failed.
- Cut power to a wet room only when the breaker panel is dry.
- Lift small items, rugs and cords off the floor.
- Video each room, then call your insurer.
- Ask the provider what readings they take and how they record them.
The emergency checklist goes further. For sewage or storm water, read sewage exposure and health first, and use the work authorization guide before you sign anything.
Sources: McKinney, Texas, Melissa, Texas, Anna, Texas, Princeton, Texas and Collin County, Texas (Wikipedia, citing the 2020 Census); NWS DFW records and normals; NWS February 2021 winter event; NWS April 11, 2016 hail storm; NWS Mayfest Storm; TDI Winter Storm Uri report; TDI, steps to getting your claim paid; Ready.gov, floods; FEMA, flood insurance; American Red Cross, frozen pipes; CDC, About Mold and Your Health; IICRC S500.