Frequently Asked Questions

The city lists 901-385-5558 as the emergency number for both Water/Wastewater and Public Works. The weekday line for water and sewer reports, 901-385-5586, lists hours of Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For a water or sewer emergency, use 901-385-5558. For a nonurgent report, use 901-385-5586 during its listed hours.

No. The city lists 901-385-5570 for general Public Works, with weekday hours of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Water and sewer reports go to 901-385-5586 instead. The emergency number, 901-385-5558, is the one Public Works and Water/Wastewater share. Use it only for an emergency, not as a general information line.

For a drainage concern in your yard, the city says to call the City of Bartlett Engineering Department at 901-385-6499, and that it will investigate your concern. Water bubbling up in the street is a different report: that one goes to Water/Wastewater at 901-385-5586.

Bartlett lists water or sewer backing up into a house or business among the problems to report at 901-385-5586. Keep people and pets away from sewage, since the Red Cross warns that floodwater may contain sewage. Ask the city where its responsibility ends and yours begins. The Bartlett water damage guide overview explains what to do about the cleanup afterward.

Use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, the official source for flood maps, and enter your address to see the map for it. For a question about what a map result means for your property, the City of Bartlett Engineering Department at 901-385-6499 is the office to ask.

The NFIP covers up to $250,000 for the building and up to $100,000 for contents for homes with one to four units. Coverage normally begins 30 days after purchase, with exceptions such as a lender-required purchase or a change to the flood map, according to FEMA and FloodSmart.

TDCI advises temporary protection first and inspection before permanent repairs where possible. Keep receipts for the temporary work, and keep damaged materials for inspection where that is safe. Your insurer can tell you what it needs to see before you do more, and what it expects you to keep.

Under rule 0780-01-05-.08, within 60 days after the insurer receives properly completed and executed proofs of loss, it is to accept, deny or notify you that more investigation is needed. If the investigation stays incomplete, it is to send a letter with reasons 60 days after that notice and every 60 days thereafter. The insurer has 30 days after affirming liability to pay, if the amount is determined and not in dispute.

The fee is capped at 15% of settlement proceeds if the contract is signed before the insurer's offer. After an offer, it is capped at 25% of the increase over the insurer's last offer before the contract, under Tennessee Code section 56-6-913. Read the contract terms before you sign anything.

At the National Weather Service's Memphis station, the average first freeze, at 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below, falls on November 12, and the average last freeze falls on March 18. The record runs through 2020, and any single year can differ from the average.

The Tennessee rule says insurers are to give first-party claimants notice of an applicable statute of limitations at least 30 days before it may expire. Do not rely on that notice alone. Ask your insurer or an attorney what deadlines apply to your policy and your claim, and keep track of the dates yourself.

TDCI takes policy questions and complaints at 615-741-2218 or 800-342-4029, and the policy must have been issued in Tennessee. The department's consumer page explains how to file. Bring your policy, your claim number and the dates of your contacts with the insurer.

Accidental water damage from a burst pipe is often covered, subject to your policy's exclusions, deductible and maintenance terms, according to TDCI. Flood from outside and backed-up drains or sewers are typically excluded. Your policy wording controls, so ask your insurer for a decision on your specific loss.

Sewer and drain backup is typically excluded from standard homeowners policies unless an endorsement or separate coverage applies, according to TDCI. Check your policy for a backup endorsement, and ask your insurer directly whether your loss falls under it before you assume either answer.

TDCI and the Red Cross recommend documenting damage before cleanup, when it is safe. Take photos and video of the source, the affected rooms and the damaged belongings. Keep receipts for temporary repairs, and keep damaged materials for inspection where that is safe.

Ask the provider for proof of insurance and any trade license the job requires. For a Bartlett repair, a prime contractor needs a Tennessee contractor license on projects of $25,000 or more, and a home improvement license covers residential remodeling of $3,000 to $24,999 in Shelby County. Ask what the scope of work covers before you agree.

No. This is an independent consumer guide about residential water damage in Bartlett. It is a referral service that helps homeowners find a local restoration provider that serves their address. The site does not do the work, and the provider you choose sets its own terms.

In plain terms, providers separate clean supply water, used gray water, and sewage or floodwater. The more contaminated the water, the more careful the cleanup has to be. Ask any provider which kind of water it believes you have and why, before you agree to a plan.

No exact hour is stated by the agencies. FEMA says items holding moisture can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours, EPA says mold will not grow in most cases if wet items are dried within 24-48 hours, and CDC advises fast, full drying after a flood.

Tennessee health guidance does not recommend routine testing as a first step, and CDC and EPA say the same. It points to fixing the moisture problem and cleaning or removing visible mold. If you want an assessment anyway, ask the provider what it would measure and how the result would change the plan.

Tennessee does not have a license category specific to mold assessors or remediators. General contractor rules still apply by project size. Ask any provider for proof of insurance and any trade license the job requires, and ask what the scope of work covers before you agree.

A prime contractor on a project costing $25,000 or more needs a Tennessee contractor license. In Shelby County, residential remodeling projects costing $3,000–$24,999 need a home improvement license.

Tennessee's Residential Property Disclosure Act covers known defects, environmental risks and flood or drainage problems, and there is no mold-specific form. How the Act applies to your situation is a question for your real estate agent or an attorney, not this guide.

Health guidance says all molds can cause problems, and there are no national standards for a safe level. Tennessee's health department does not test homes. For symptoms or medical questions, see a doctor, and use the agency pages linked above for cleanup guidance.