Straight advice from the dispatch deskYour First Hour After a Leak or Flood
The steps you take before the crew pulls up can save a floor, a wall, or an entire room. None of this replaces professional drying, but it buys you time.
Start by stopping the water. Find the main shutoff and turn it clockwise until it stops. In older houses near downtown Fitzgerald it tends to sit in the basement along the front wall where the street line enters. In newer subdivisions, check the garage, a utility closet, or the area by the water heater. If you live in a condo or apartment, the shutoff for your unit may be under a sink or behind an access panel, and building maintenance can shut the riser if needed.
Make the space safe. If water is near outlets, power strips or the electrical panel, do not walk through it to reach the breaker. Call the utility or wait for the crew. Watch the ceiling. Drywall that bulges or sags is holding water and can come down without warning, so keep people and pets out from under it.
Photograph it all before anything moves. Take wide photos of each room, then close-ups of the source, the waterline on walls, and damaged belongings. A short video walking through the house with the date on screen is even better. Your adjuster will thank you.
Start air moving, carefully. If the power is safe and the water is clean, open interior doors and run a few household fans to keep air moving across wet surfaces. Keep windows shut on hot, muggy days, since outside air will add more moisture than it takes away. In cold weather, leave the heat on so pipes stay thawed and wet materials keep releasing moisture.
Get belongings up off the floor. Move rugs, electronics, paperwork and anything with sentimental value to a dry room. Put foil squares or plastic lids under furniture legs so finish and rust do not bleed into wet carpet. Leave heavy pieces and anything built in for the crew.
What to avoid: Never use a household vacuum on wet flooring, do not crank the HVAC thinking it will help, and do not rip out drywall before it has been photographed and measured. If the water came from a toilet, a floor drain or outside, assume it is contaminated and keep your hands out of it.
Then make the call. The earlier extraction begins, the more of your home stays where it is instead of going out to the curb. If any of it feels unclear, the dispatcher can talk you through it while the contractor is driving over.