Tropical Storm Arthur came ashore near Freeport, Texas on June 17, 2026 and stalled over the Gulf Coast, dropping 20–30+ inches of rain across parts of Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. AccuWeather estimated $4–6 billion in damage. Thousands of homes took on water — and for most of them, the hardest part isn't the flood itself. It's what the water does after it's gone, trapped inside the walls.
The first 48 hours matter most
Per the EPA, mold generally won't grow if wet materials are dried within 24–48 hours. The two guides below walk you through it:
Find your city
Local recovery guidance for the hardest-hit areas:
Drying your walls after the flooding
Coastal flood recovery
After the June flash flooding
Southwest Louisiana recovery
Central Mississippi recovery
Rock Bloks ships nationwide — tell us where you are
Rebuild so the next storm doesn't do this again
On the Gulf Coast, flooding is a when, not an if. The reason a flooded wall stays wet for weeks is structural: drywall sits flush to the base plate, sealing water into the cavity with no way to drain or dry (here's why walls stay wet for months). Fix that while you're rebuilding and you stop repeating the cycle.
Rock Bloks are perforated polymer inserts that fasten to the base of each wall stud, behind the baseboard. The lattice creates open channels at the bottom of the wall, so — in the inventor's words — "the water diverts away, and nothing is capable of holding any water inside." When floodwater recedes, the wall drains and air flows in, drying in days instead of months. Standard framing, same studs and base plate.
Invented by someone who lived it. Rock Bloks was created by Ed Thompson in Matlacha Isles, Florida, after his own canal home flooded three times in 25 years. It was featured on WINK News in June 2026. Rock Bloks ships and installs nationwide.
Rebuilding after Arthur?
Tell us where you are and what you're rebuilding. The founder will personally reach out — pricing, quantities, and how to get Rock Bloks to you.
Get more information →Sources
- U.S. EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home — epa.gov/mold
- IICRC S500 Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration — iicrc.org/s500
- WINK News, "Matlacha Isles man creates device to drain flood water from walls" — winknews.com