April 2026 was one of the wetter months the Austin area has seen in a while. Three separate rounds of heavy rain moved through Central Texas over the course of the month, and for a lot of homeowners in communities north and northwest of the city, that meant more than a soggy yard. It meant flooded roads, rising creeks, and water in places it had no business being.
If your home or property was in the path of any of these storms, this article is for you. We’ll cover which communities saw the most significant impacts, and walk through what you should be checking for now that the rain has moved on.
Which Austin-area communities were hit the hardest?
The month’s most significant flooding event landed on April 21, with Williamson County bearing the brunt of it. More than 6 inches of rain fell in the Georgetown and Berry Creek area, and the San Gabriel River rose from around 7 feet to nearly 14 feet in less than 12 hours. That kind of rise pushed water into low-lying areas and led to the evacuation of around 20 families from RV parks along the river in Georgetown.
Across Williamson County, officials reported 44 road closures in a single day, with high water affecting communities including:
- Leander, where Brushy Creek overflowed Ridgmar Road with water readings of 1 to 2 feet on roadside gauges
- Round Rock
- Cedar Park
- Georgetown
- Jarrell, Florence, and Granger, smaller communities in the eastern and northern parts of the county that also saw significant road impacts
Travis County wasn’t unaffected either. Flooding was reported at I-35 and Cesar Chavez in downtown Austin, and Old Spicewood Springs Road in northwest Austin was closed due to high water. A Flood Watch also went into effect on April 30 for Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties, with Pflugerville reporting closures across its trail system and low water crossings.
Earlier in the month, on April 12, a Flood Watch covered a wider stretch of Central Texas, including Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell, Lee, and Fayette Counties, with flash flood warnings in southern Fayette County after 6 inches of rain fell in just 2 to 3 hours.
Why flooding and mold tend to show up together
This is the part of the conversation that catches some homeowners off guard. When people think about flood damage, they usually picture the obvious stuff: wet carpet, ruined furniture, muddy floors. Those are real problems, but they’re also visible. Mold is different.
According to the CDC, mold can begin to grow within 24 to 48 hours of moisture reaching building materials. That means by the time your home looked and felt dry, mold may have already started developing inside walls, under flooring, or behind cabinets, in places you can’t see without looking for them specifically.
This isn’t meant to alarm anyone. Most post-flood mold situations are manageable, especially when they’re caught early. But it does mean that just because your home dried out doesn’t mean everything is fine. It’s worth knowing what to look for.
What to do now that the water is gone
If your home took on any water in April, whether that was a few inches in a low-lying area of your yard, water that crept into a garage, or actual interior flooding, here are the practical steps worth working through.
Document what happened. If you haven’t already, take photos or video of any damage before you clean or repair anything. This matters for insurance purposes.
Check for moisture in the obvious places first. That means baseboards, lower sections of drywall, under sinks, around water heaters, and in crawl spaces or basements if you have them. Press your hand against drywall that was near water. If it feels soft, spongey, or warmer than the surrounding wall, it may still be holding moisture.
Don’t overlook flooring. Hardwood and laminate flooring can absorb water at the edges while the surface looks fine. Check for buckling, soft spots, or gaps between boards.
Get air moving, but keep an eye on indoor humidity. Running fans and opening windows (when it’s not raining) helps the drying process. A cheap hygrometer from a hardware store can tell you your indoor humidity level. You want it below 60%.
Give it a week or two before assuming everything is clear. Mold signs often appear 1 to 2 weeks after a flooding event. Keep checking.
Signs that something might be developing
Even after a home appears dry, some things are worth paying attention to over the weeks following a flood:
- A musty or earthy smell that wasn’t there before, especially in specific rooms or near walls
- Discoloration or staining on drywall, ceilings, or baseboards, even faint patches
- Warped or bubbling paint or wallpaper
- New or worsening allergy symptoms in household members (sneezing, congestion, irritated eyes) that seem tied to being inside the home
None of these things are a guaranteed sign of mold, but they’re all worth investigating. Trust your nose. It’s one of the better early-warning tools you have.
When to handle it yourself vs. when to call someone
Small, visible surface mold on non-porous materials, like a bit of mildew on a tile or a bathroom fixture, is often something homeowners can handle with proper cleaning and ventilation. The EPA generally suggests that areas smaller than 10 square feet are manageable as a DIY project if you take the right precautions.
When the situation moves beyond that, it’s worth bringing in a professional. That includes:
- Mold that’s inside walls or under flooring (meaning you’d need to open things up to address it)
- A musty smell that persists even after thorough drying
- Any visible mold growth in HVAC systems or ductwork
- Situations where you’re not sure what you’re dealing with and want someone to take a look
A professional inspection doesn’t commit you to anything. It just gives you a clearer picture of what you’re working with. Sometimes the answer is “you’re fine.” Sometimes it’s “here’s what needs attention.” Either way, knowing beats guessing.
Frequently asked questions
Mold spores can begin colonizing porous building materials within 24 to 48 hours of moisture exposure, according to the CDC. That’s why addressing water intrusion matters. The sooner materials dry out, the less opportunity mold has to take hold.
Possibly, but not necessarily. Some mold develops in areas with poor airflow where it may not produce a noticeable odor right away, or the smell may be subtle at first. If your home took on water, it’s still worth a careful visual inspection of walls, flooring, and any closed-off spaces over the next few weeks.
This depends on your specific policy. Standard homeowner’s insurance typically does not cover flood damage; that usually falls under separate flood insurance. If you do have flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private carrier, mold remediation resulting from a covered flood event may be included, but it varies. Check with your insurance provider directly to understand what your coverage includes.
You may notice soft or discolored patches on drywall, warped baseboards, or a musty smell concentrated near a particular wall. A moisture meter (available at hardware stores) can detect elevated moisture levels behind walls without opening them up. If you’re not sure, a professional inspection using thermal imaging or moisture detection equipment can give you a more complete picture.
We’re here if you have questions
If you’re in one of the communities that saw flooding this April and you’re not sure where things stand with your home, we’re happy to talk through it. We serve homeowners across the Austin area, and we know how disorienting it can be to try to figure out what’s a real concern and what isn’t. There’s no pressure and no obligation. Sometimes a conversation is all you need.