Guide
The first 48 hours after water damage
Wet materials change quickly. Wet materials that stay wet for a day or two can start growing mold, so drying quickly matters. The steps below keep the damage from growing.
Tap the number to call. The line connects you with an independent restoration contractor, not with this website.
Hour by hour, roughly
Make it safe
Leave rooms with water near outlets, with a sagging ceiling or with waste water. If you smell gas, leave the house and call 911 from outside.
Stop the source
Close the shutoff valve at the appliance or the main valve at the house. For a leak you cannot find, the city lists a number for utility problems.
Call
Dial the number on this page for an independent contractor. Early calls leave more of the house to save. Then call your insurance agent. See insurance basics.
Record the damage
Photograph every room before moving things. The documenting guide shows how.
Move what is easy to move
Lift furniture off wet carpet, remove rugs and put foil or plastic under furniture legs that must stay.
Start air moving
Open windows if outdoor air is drier than indoor air. Run the air conditioner or a dehumidifier. This helps a small spill and does not replace professional drying.
What to leave alone
- Do not use a household vacuum on standing water.
- Do not run ceiling fixtures under a wet ceiling.
- Do not throw out damaged items before photographing them.
- Do not start rebuilding until a moisture meter shows the structure dry.
Why two days matters
Drying is the key to avoiding mold, and rebuilding over wet materials can trap moisture. Wet insulation and drywall that touched floodwater often have to come out; ask the contractor what applies to your house. FEMA's mold brochure, linked below, is further reading.
In a house over a crawl space, the clock applies to the floor structure as well as the visible rooms. See the crawl space page for what to check underneath.
Water is still spreading while you read
Call the number and describe what happened. The line routes your call to an independent restoration contractor who serves your ZIP code. Early calls leave more of the home dry.