Practical advice from the dispatch deskWhat to Do in the First Hour After Water Damage
What you do before the crew arrives can save a floor, a wall, or a whole room. None of it takes the place of professional drying, but it does buy you time.
Stop the water first. Locate the main shutoff and turn it clockwise as far as it will go. In older homes near downtown Black Diamond it is often in the basement on the front wall where the line comes in from the street. In newer subdivisions it is usually in the garage, a utility closet, or near the water heater. Condo and apartment owners may find their unit shutoff under a sink or behind an access panel, and building maintenance can close the riser if it comes to that.
Make the space safe. If water has reached outlets, power strips or the panel, do not wade through it to flip 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.
Document everything before it moves. Shoot wide photos of each room, then close-ups of the source, the waterline on the 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 winter, keep the heat on so pipes do not freeze again and materials keep giving up water.
Lift what you can. Carry rugs, electronics, documents and anything sentimental into a dry room. Slide aluminum foil or plastic lids under furniture legs so stain and rust do not transfer into wet carpet. Leave built-ins and heavy pieces for the crew.
Things not to do: Do not run a household vacuum on wet floors, do not turn the HVAC on high hoping it will dry things out, and do not start tearing out drywall before it has been photographed and measured. If the water came from a toilet, a floor drain or outdoors, treat it as contaminated and keep your bare hands out of it.
Then call. The sooner a crew starts extraction, the more of your home stays in place instead of ending up at the curb. If you are unsure about any of this, our dispatcher can walk you through it while the contractor is on the way.