Quick answer
For water damage in Howe, TX, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. After hours, call the City of Howe on-call line at 903-819-6388. Then call a water damage restoration company; drying should start within 24 to 48 hours. Texas insurers must acknowledge your claim within 15 days.
Do this first
Local water and septic lines.
- Shut off the water. Shut the house valve or the one in the meter box. Howe runs an after-hours on-call line, 903-819-6388, for a break at the meter or in the street; City Hall takes calls in the day.
- Make it safe and document it. Cut power to wet rooms from a dry spot, photograph the damage, then report the claim.
- Start drying within 24 to 48 hours. About 25% of Howe homes are mobile homes. Water under one soaks the belly wrap and insulation, so ask the crew to open the underside and dry it, not just the carpet.
Grayson County had 10 flash flood warnings in 2024 and 7 so far in 2026. FEMA inspectors found damage at 12 homes in ZIP 75459 after the June 2007 storms. Turn around if water is over a road.
What to know about water damage in Howe
810 ft
The elevation that gave the first railroad switch here its name, Summit, in 1873. It was thought to be the highest point between the Red River and the Gulf. The town became Howe in 1876.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Howe
Named for a railroad man
The depot, store, and post office were renamed in 1876 for F. M. Howe of the Houston and Texas Central. Jabes Haning won the depot by giving the railroad every second lot in his new town.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Howe
Grain town
Howe incorporated in 1884 with George M. McCrary as mayor. By the late 1880s it was a major grain-shipping center and home of Red Rust-proof Oats.
Sources: Handbook of Texas, City of Howe
12 damaged homes
After the June 2007 storms and flooding, 16 homeowners in ZIP 75459 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 12 homes, totaling about $20,936. After the February 2021 winter storm, 19 registered and inspectors found damage at 3 homes. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Homes in Howe
About 61% are owner-occupied, the median home dates to 1983, and about 43% were built before 1980.
Check your ZIP
How often does Grayson County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 39 flash flood warnings that included Grayson County from 2016 through November 12, 2026, peaking at 10 in 2024. Each one means flooding is happening or about to happen.
Source: our count from the National Weather Service warning archive, Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
| Year | Warnings |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 7 |
Cost and insurance in Howe
How much does water damage restoration cost in Howe?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Storm water that flows in from outside is a flood claim. Wet belly wrap under a mobile home has to be opened to dry.
Water removal and restoration in Howe
The company that answers handles water under mobile homes, burst pipes in hard freezes, water heater failures, sewer backups, and storm water at low doors, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Howe questions
Who do I call about a water leak in Howe after hours?
The City of Howe Utilities on-call line, 903-819-6388. City Hall at 116 E. Haning Street is 903-532-5571.
Why was Howe first called Summit?
The 1873 railroad switch sat at about 810 feet, thought to be the highest point between the Red River and the Gulf of Mexico.
Where is the Grayson County septic office listed?
On the Preston page, along with Sherman freeze data. The county flash flood table is on this page.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 75459, Howe.
Related guides
Other Texas towns- Burst pipe, not frozen
- Sewage backup: what to do first
- Burst pipe repair cost
- Texas insurance claim deadlines, in plain English
- Frozen and burst pipes: what to do
- Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?
- How long water damage takes to dry
Local phone numbers checked November 2026: