Friendswood sits on the line between Galveston and Harris counties, between Houston and the Bay Area. Clear Creek and its tributaries, including Coward's Creek and Chigger Creek, wind through the city. In Hurricane Harvey in 2017, a large share of Friendswood homes flooded, many for the first time. Since then the city and county have worked on drainage and buyouts in the hardest-hit areas, but heavy tropical rain is still the main risk.
Structural drying
Many of the Friendswood searches we see are about structural drying. That's the stage after the water is pulled out, when air movers and dehumidifiers dry the framing, the subfloor and the slab, not just the surface. In this humidity it's the step that decides whether you're rebuilding on dry materials or sealing moisture into the walls.
A good drying job is measured, not guessed. The crew takes moisture readings on the first day, checks them as equipment runs, and stops when materials reach normal levels for the house. Ask to see the readings.
Leaks inside the house
Away from the creek, the calls are the same as anywhere on the Gulf Coast: water heaters, supply lines, overflowing AC condensate in the attic, roof leaks during storms, and the occasional slab leak. Mature trees in many Friendswood neighborhoods can also mean roots in sewer lines and backups through floor drains and toilets.
Clear Creek and its tributaries
Much of Friendswood's flood risk comes from Clear Creek, which forms part of the city's boundary, and the smaller creeks that drain into it. Rain falling upstream in Pearland and south Houston reaches Friendswood through these channels. During long, heavy rain events the creeks can rise for hours after the rain stops. That's why water sometimes reaches homes well after the storm has passed.
Homes in Friendswood
Friendswood is largely residential, with established neighborhoods from the 1970s to the 1990s and newer subdivisions to the south and west. Many homes sit on large wooded lots. Big trees are part of the city's appeal, but roots can work into sewer lines and cause backups. Older homes may also have original water heaters, supply lines and shutoff valves that are past due for replacement.
Friendswood through the year
- Hurricane season brings tropical rain, the main flood threat, and wind-driven water through roofs and windows.
- Summer humidity means any leak can lead to mold quickly if it isn't dried.
- Spring storms can bring hail, falling limbs from large trees and roof damage.
- Occasional winter freezes can burst pipes in attics and exterior walls.
Local resources
The City of Friendswood provides water and sewer service and publishes floodplain and drainage information. Galveston County and Harris County both have flood information resources, since the city sits across the county line.
A typical Friendswood call
One example: after a sewer backup, water comes up through a downstairs shower and spreads across the bathroom and into a bedroom. Tree roots have blocked the line. A plumber clears it, and the restoration crew removes the contaminated carpet and pad, cuts out the lower drywall, cleans and disinfects, and dries the rooms before rebuilding.
ZIP code
We connect callers in Friendswood, ZIP 77546. If your address is in a neighboring ZIP, call and we'll check.