Quick answer
For water damage in Sealy, TX, shut off your main valve first, or turn off the well pump breaker if you are on a private well. For a leak at the meter, call the City of Sealy Utility Department at 979-885-3511. 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. Close the valve at your meter box. The City of Sealy runs water and sewer; call the Utility Department at City Hall, 415 Main Street, about a break at the meter.
- 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 21% of Sealy 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.
FEMA inspectors found damage at homes in ZIP 77474 after the April and May 2016 floods, Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and Hurricane Beryl in 2024. Austin County had 22 flash flood warnings in 2017. When the Brazos rises, never drive into water over a road.
What to know about water damage in Sealy
1879
The year Sealy was founded on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad, named for Galveston businessman and railroad president George Sealy. A depot opened by January 1880.
113 damaged homes
After Hurricane Harvey in 2017, 253 homeowners in ZIP 77474 registered for FEMA aid. Inspectors found damage at 113 homes, totaling about $1,573,193. After the April 2016 floods, inspectors found damage at 145 homes, about $1,368,530, and after the May 2016 floods at 76 more. Owners who did not apply are not counted.
Flood and hurricane, 1899 and 1900
A disastrous Brazos River flood struck Sealy in 1899, and a devastating hurricane followed in September 1900. That January the railroad moved its division headquarters to Bellville.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Sealy
Three rail lines
The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe built yards and a roundhouse here. The Katy added a spur in 1895, and the Cane Belt Railroad finished a third line in 1901.
Source: Handbook of Texas, Sealy
How often it freezes
The NOAA weather station at Sealy averages 13 nights a year at or below 32°F and rarely drops to 20°F. In half of years the first freeze comes by November 30 and the last one after February 28. Pipes in outside walls, attics, and pier-and-beam crawlspaces are the first to split.
Homes in Sealy
About 65% are owner-occupied, the median home dates to 1985, and about 16% were built before 1960.
Check your ZIP
How often does Austin County get flash flood warnings?
The National Weather Service issued 56 flash flood warnings that included Austin County from 2016 through November 12, 2026, peaking at 22 in 2017. 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 | 16 |
| 2017 | 22 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 |
Cost and insurance in Sealy
How much does water damage restoration cost in Sealy?
Most jobs run $450 to $16,000 (Angi). Brazos River or creek water that flows in is a flood claim. Mobile home subfloors and wet insulation take longer.
Water removal and restoration in Sealy
The company that answers handles hurricane and river flood water, water under mobile homes, burst pipes in hard freezes, water heater failures, and sewer or septic backups, plus burst pipes, appliance leaks, drying, and septic backups.
Sealy questions
Who do I call about a water leak at the meter in Sealy?
The City of Sealy Utility Department at City Hall, 979-885-3511, during business hours.
How hard did Hurricane Harvey hit Sealy?
In ZIP 77474, 253 homeowners registered with FEMA and inspectors found damage at 113 homes, about $1.57 million.
How often does Sealy freeze?
The NOAA station at Sealy averages about 13 nights a year at or below 32°F, and in half of years the first freeze comes by November 30.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
ZIP 77474, Sealy and the countryside around it. San Felipe has its own page.
Related guides
Other Texas towns- Burst pipe, not frozen
- Water mitigation vs. restoration
- 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: