Water damage happens fast and spreads faster. The actions you take in the first 30 minutes determine whether you’re looking at a $2,000 repair or a $20,000 disaster. Most homeowners freeze when they discover water spreading through their home. They don’t know what to do first, so they do nothing, or worse, they do the wrong things.
The first steps after water damage aren’t complicated, but they need to happen quickly and in the right order. Every minute water sits in your home, it soaks deeper into floors, walls, and furniture. Within hours, you’re dealing with structural damage. Within a day, mold starts growing. The difference between acting now and acting later can literally save your home and thousands of dollars. What you do in those first 30 minutes before professionals arrive makes all the difference.
Why Your First 30 Minutes Matter More Than You Think?
Water moves through your home like you wouldn’t believe. Spill a gallon on your floor and watch how far it spreads in just minutes. Now imagine hundreds of gallons from a burst pipe or failed appliance. Water can travel 10 feet or more through flooring in less time than it takes to figure out what’s happening.
Absorbent materials start soaking immediately. Your carpet padding acts like a giant sponge, pulling water in and holding it against your subfloor. Drywall wicks moisture up from the bottom, sometimes several feet high. Wood flooring swells and buckles. Every minute that passes means more damage.
The type of water matters too. Clean water from a supply line stays Category 1 for about 48 hours. After that, bacteria start multiplying, and it becomes Category 2 gray water. Let it sit longer or mix with contaminants, and you’re dealing with Category 3 black water that requires hazmat-level cleanup. Fast action keeps clean water clean.
Mold spores exist everywhere in your home right now, just waiting for moisture. Give them 24 to 48 hours of wetness, and they activate, growing into visible colonies. Once mold takes hold, you’re not just fixing water damage anymore. You’re paying for mold remediation on top of everything else.
Insurance companies know all this. They track how quickly you respond. File a claim three days after the water damage started, and they’ll question why you waited. They might reduce your payout or deny coverage altogether, claiming you failed to mitigate damages. Quick action protects your claim as much as your home.
Here’s the cost reality. Immediate response to a burst pipe might cost $3,000 for water extraction and drying. Wait 48 hours, and you’re adding mold remediation, subfloor replacement, and extensive drywall work. Now you’re at $15,000 or more. Wait a week, and you might be looking at $30,000 plus temporary housing costs.
Here’s exactly what to do, step by step.
First Steps After Water Damage: Safety Comes First
Don’t rush in without assessing dangers first. Water damage creates hazards that can injure or kill you. Take two minutes to check for these threats before you do anything else.
Electrical Safety Assessment
Look for water near outlets, power strips, or any appliances. Even small amounts of water near electricity create deadly shock risks. Never touch electrical devices while standing in water. This isn’t paranoia, it’s physics. Water conducts electricity straight through your body.
If you can safely reach your circuit breaker without walking through water, turn off power to affected areas. Better yet, shut off the main breaker if you’re unsure which circuits are involved. If water has reached your electrical panel, don’t touch it at all. Call an electrician immediately.
Watch and listen for danger signs. Sparking outlets, buzzing sounds from walls, or burning smells all mean electricity and water are mixing. Get out and call professionals.
Structural Safety Check
Look up at your ceilings. See any sagging or bulging? That’s water weight pulling drywall or plaster down. It can collapse without warning, dumping gallons of water and heavy debris on you.
Check floors for buckling or soft spots. Water-saturated flooring can give way, especially on second floors or above basements. Walk carefully and test the surface before putting your full weight down.
Listen for cracking sounds in walls. This means structural supports are shifting under water weight or pressure. If you hear this, evacuate the area immediately.
Water is heavy. A single gallon weighs over 8 pounds. A flooded room might hold thousands of gallons, adding tons of weight to structures never designed for it.
Water Contamination Assessment
Not all water is safe to handle. Clean water comes from supply lines, broken pipes, or rain. You can touch this safely, though you should still use gloves if available.
Gray water comes from washing machines, dishwashers, or toilet bowls without feces. It contains bacteria and contaminants. Handle it with caution, wear gloves, and wash thoroughly after contact.
Black water comes from sewage backups, river flooding, or any standing water that’s been sitting for over 48 hours. This is hazardous. It contains dangerous bacteria, viruses, and possibly chemicals. Do not touch black water without full protective gear. If you smell sewage or see dark, murky water, stay away and call professionals immediately.
If anything looks unsafe, get out and call professionals. Your safety matters infinitely more than property. No possession is worth risking your life.
Minutes 1 to 5 – Stop the Water Flow Immediately
You can’t start fixing damage while water keeps pouring in. Your first job is to stop the source.
For Indoor Water Sources
Locate your main water shutoff valve. In most homes, it’s in the basement near the front foundation wall, in a crawl space, or outside near the water meter. Once you find it, turn it clockwise until it stops completely. Don’t be gentle. These valves can be stiff, especially if they haven’t been used in years.
For specific fixtures like a leaking toilet or sink, you can close the individual supply valves underneath them instead of shutting off your whole house. Turn these clockwise, too.
Burst pipe situations need the main valve shut immediately. After closing it, open a few faucets around the house to drain remaining water from the pipes. This stops the flow and reduces pressure.
Failed appliance? Every washing machine, dishwasher, and refrigerator ice maker has its own supply line. Find the small valve on the wall or floor behind the appliance and turn it off.
Water heater leaking? Shut the cold-water supply valve at the top of the tank. Then turn off the power or gas to the unit. Electric water heaters have a breaker; gas models have a shut-off valve on the gas line.
For Weather-Related Water
You can’t stop rain or flooding coming from outside. Nature doesn’t have a shutoff valve. In these situations, move to safety first. Getting yourself and your family to dry ground matters more than anything else.
Wait for the weather to clear before trying to address damage. Going into a flooded basement during a storm is asking for trouble. Focus on protecting what you can reach safely, like moving valuables to upper floors.
Quick Fixes for Minor Leaks
Small leaking pipe joint? After shutting off the water, wrap the joint with rubber (cut from an old inner tube or thick rubber glove) and secure it with hose clamps or wire. This is temporary, not a real repair, but it helps.
Small roof leak during a storm? Place a bucket underneath and mark the location for repair after the weather clears. Don’t go on the roof in the rain or wind.
Window leak? Shove towels at the base to catch water and note it for repair once the storm passes.
Pro tip: Stop reading right now and take a photo of your main water valve location. Save it to your phone under a name like “WATER SHUTOFF.” In an emergency, you won’t waste precious minutes searching for it.
Minutes 5 to 10 – Document Everything for Insurance
Insurance claims live or die on documentation quality. You’ll be stressed, and your instinct will scream at you to start cleaning. Resist that urge for five minutes. What you document now protects thousands of dollars in claims.
Photo and Video Strategy
Start with wide shots showing the entire affected area. Stand in doorways and capture whole rooms. Insurance adjusters need to see the scope of damage.
Then zoom in on specific damage. Get close-ups of wet walls, damaged floors, and ruined belongings. Show the water source if it’s visible. A photo of the burst pipe or failed appliance helps establish cause.
Show water depth using a ruler, measuring tape, or even your hand for scale. Take multiple photos from different angles of the same damage.
Get timestamps on your photos if your phone allows it. This proves when the damage occurred and how quickly you responded.
Take way more photos than you think you need. You can always delete extras, but you can’t go back in time to capture what you missed.
What to Document
Photograph all standing water locations, damaged furniture and belongings, wet walls, floors, and ceilings. Capture damaged appliances or fixtures that caused the problem. Show water stains and discoloration that indicate how far moisture spread.
Make a visual record of every personal property loss. That wet couch, ruined electronics, damaged clothing, it all needs photos.
Written Notes to Make
Write down the time you discovered the water. Estimate when the damage actually started if you know. A pipe that burst while you were at work started hours before you found it.
Note what caused the damage. “Water heater failed,” or “Washing machine supply hose burst,” or “Severe storm caused roof leak.”
List what actions you took. “Shut off main water valve at 3:15 PM, called USA Restoration at 3:22 PM, moved furniture at 3:30 PM.”
Record weather conditions if relevant. Heavy rain, freezing temperatures, and wind damage all support your claim.
Start listing damaged items with approximate values. You’ll refine this later, but get the basics down while you’re looking at everything.
Mark Water Levels
Use painter’s tape or a permanent marker on walls to show the high-water mark. Draw a line or place tape at the highest point the water reached. This proves depth to insurance adjusters who arrive days later after everything has dried.
Take photos of these markers from multiple angles. The combination of marked walls and photos creates undeniable evidence.
Reality check: You’ll be stressed and want to start cleaning. Your home is damaged, and every instinct says fix it now. But five minutes of thorough documentation protects thousands of dollars in claims. Insurance companies deny or reduce claims all the time because homeowners can’t prove the extent of damage. Don’t let that be you.
Minutes 10 to 15 – Get Professionals Coming Your Way
Water damage restoration isn’t a wait-and-see situation. Don’t sit around wondering if it will get worse. It will. Start getting help mobilized right now.
Call Water Damage Restoration First
Professionals need time to mobilize equipment and crews. The sooner you call, the sooner they arrive, the less damage your home suffers.
USA Restoration offers 24/7 emergency response, and we’re typically on site within an hour of your call. We’re not telling you this, but tomorrow is fine. We’re saying call right this minute. Our IICRC-certified technicians will bring industrial water extraction equipment, commercial dehumidifiers, and moisture detection tools that you don’t own and can’t rent.
When you call, we’ll also guide you on what to do safely while you wait. We know what helps and what makes things worse.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Call your insurance company’s 24-hour claims line immediately. Have your policy number ready. Describe what happened clearly and briefly. “My water heater failed and flooded the basement” is perfect. You don’t need a lengthy explanation yet.
Tell them you’ve already called a restoration company. This shows you’re taking immediate action to mitigate damages, which they want to hear.
Ask about your coverage and what happens next. Get your claim number and the contact information for the adjuster who’ll handle your case. Write all this down.
Other Calls You Might Need
Smell gas? Call the gas company emergency line immediately and evacuate your home.
Electrical damage beyond just shutting off a breaker? Call the electric company.
Plumbing failure? Call a plumber. They can sometimes respond quickly to emergency shutoffs and temporary repairs while the restoration crew mobilizes.
Renting? Call your landlord right away. They need to know and may have specific contractors they want to use.
What to Tell the Restoration Company
Give them your address and phone number. Describe the type of water damage: burst pipe, failed appliance, storm damage, sewage backup, whatever happened.
Estimate how much water and which rooms are affected. “About two inches of water covering a 300 square foot basement” helps them bring the right equipment.
Mention any safety concerns. Electrical hazards, structural damage, anything that affects how they’ll approach the job.
Tell them if it’s gray or black water contamination. This determines what protective gear they bring.
Note: Don’t call your regular handyman or cleaning service. They mean well, but they don’t have industrial water extractors, commercial dehumidifiers, moisture meters, or training in proper water damage restoration. This job needs specialized equipment and expertise.
Minutes 15 to 20 – Begin Safe Water Removal (If You Can)
Only proceed if the water is clean and there are no electrical hazards. If you have any doubts about safety, skip this section and wait for professionals.
What You Can Safely Remove
You can mop up standing water from hard surfaces using a mop and bucket. This works for small amounts, maybe a few gallons, not flooded rooms.
Only tackle water from clean sources like supply lines or rain. Use old towels for smaller spills and puddles.
Quick Extraction Methods
A wet/dry shop vac handles moderate amounts if you own one. Regular household cleaning takes too long for anything beyond minor spills.
Old towels and blankets soak up water effectively. Wring them out into a bucket repeatedly.
If you have floor drains, squeegee water toward them. Gravity is your friend.
Make multiple trips with buckets to remove standing water. Work from the highest point to the lowest since water flows downhill naturally.
What NOT to Attempt
Don’t try to extract large amounts yourself. You’ll exhaust yourself and barely make a dent while water keeps soaking into materials.
Don’t use regular vacuum cleaners. They’re not designed for water, create electrical hazards, and you’ll destroy the motor.
Don’t enter flooded basements with any electrical equipment, even battery-powered tools. Risk isn’t worth it.
Don’t try to remove wall-to-wall carpet or padding. It’s incredibly heavy when wet, and pulling it up wrong can damage your subfloor. This is definitely a job for professionals.
Don’t try to dry out walls yourself by punching holes or removing drywall. You might create bigger problems and void insurance coverage.
Don’t turn on your HVAC system, thinking it will help dry things out. It spreads moisture and potential mold spores throughout your entire house through the ductwork.
Mold Prevention Starts Now
The clock is ticking on mold growth. Remove wet materials you can safely handle, like throw rugs, towels, and small items.
Don’t seal up the area thinking you’re containing damage. Air circulation actually helps. Stagnant, moist air is perfect for mold.
Open windows if the weather permits and it’s not still raining outside.
Reality check: You can remove some surface water, but you absolutely cannot properly dry structural materials. Your carpet padding, the inside of your walls, and your subfloor need professional dehumidifiers running for days with daily moisture monitoring. Household fans and hope don’t cut it.
Minutes 20 to 25 – Save What You Can
Now that immediate dangers are handled and help is coming, focus on protecting your belongings.
Priority Items to Move First
Electronics go first. Grab TVs, computers, gaming systems, tablets, anything with circuits. Even if they got wet, removing them from continued water exposure gives you a chance at recovery.
Important documents come next. Birth certificates, property deeds, passports, tax records, insurance policies. If water damaged these, spread them out to air dry later.
Photographs and irreplaceable items can’t be replaced, no matter how much insurance pays. Get them to dry areas.
Medications and medical supplies need to stay dry and accessible, especially if you’ll be displaced from your home.
Valuables like jewelry, collections, and anything with significant monetary or sentimental value should move to safety.
Grab clothing and shoes from wet areas. Even if damp, getting them out stops further damage.
Furniture Protection
Move smaller pieces like end tables, chairs, and lightweight furniture to dry rooms entirely.
Lift larger furniture onto blocks or risers if you can’t move it completely. This prevents further water absorption from below. Even lifting it a few inches off the wet carpet helps tremendously.
Remove drawers from dressers and nightstands. Water wicks up through furniture bottoms and soaks drawer contents. Pull them out and empty them.
Place aluminum foil or plastic bags under furniture legs that you can’t move. This creates a barrier between the wet carpet and wood furniture legs.
Pull furniture away from wet walls if possible. Even a few inches of air gap helps prevent wall moisture from transferring to furniture backs.
What to Leave Alone
Don’t try to move wall-to-wall carpet. Professionals will assess whether it’s salvageable or needs replacement.
Leave heavy appliances like refrigerators, washers, and dryers in place. Moving them can cause additional water damage or injury.
Built-in furniture and cabinets stay put. Don’t start dismantling your kitchen or bathroom.
Anything requiring tools to remove should wait for professionals or contractors.
Handling Wet Items
Don’t pile wet items together. This creates perfect conditions for mold growth and prevents drying.
Spread out wet photos and documents to air dry. Separate stuck-together papers gently if possible. Professionals can freeze-dry documents later if needed.
Remove books from wet shelves. Standing them upright with pages fanned slightly helps them dry without warping as much.
Take wet clothes to a laundromat if your washer is in the affected area. Wash and dry them there to prevent mold.
Leather items need special handling. Don’t try to dry leather furniture or goods with heat. Consult professionals about proper leather restoration.
Sorting strategy: Make three piles. Dry and safe items go to one area. Wet but probably savable items go to another area, spread out to begin drying. Likely ruined items go to a third area. Don’t throw anything away yet. Insurance adjusters need to see all damaged items before you dispose of them. Throwing things out prematurely can reduce your claim payout significantly.
Minutes 25 to 30 – Get Air Moving
Proper airflow speeds evaporation and reduces mold risk. You can’t dry structural materials, but you can create conditions that help rather than hurt.
Creating Airflow
Open windows and doors if the weather permits. Fresh air exchange is beneficial.
Turn on ceiling fans in affected rooms and adjacent spaces. Set them to pull air up and away from wet surfaces.
Position any box fans you own to blow across wet areas. Only do this if you’re certain there are no electrical hazards. Fans plus water plus electricity equals danger.
Open closet and cabinet doors to expose wet interiors. Closed spaces trap moisture.
Remove soaked towels and fabrics that block airflow once they’ve done their job of soaking up surface water.
What Helps Evaporation
Cross ventilation works best. Open windows on opposite sides of your house to create air movement through spaces.
Direct sunlight speeds drying significantly if you have it. Open blinds and curtains in affected areas.
Lower-humidity days are much better for opening windows. Check the weather. If it’s humid outside, you might be better off keeping windows closed and waiting for professional dehumidifiers.
Keep interior doors open throughout your home to allow air circulation between rooms. Isolated pockets of humid air create mold breeding grounds.
When NOT to Open Windows
If it’s currently raining or very humid outside, opening windows makes things worse by bringing moisture in.
If you have severe mold allergies, wait for professionals who bring HEPA-filtered equipment. Disturbing wet materials can release mold spores into the air.
If the water damage came from flooding outside your home, don’t open windows near the flooding. You’ll just invite more moisture in.
Note: Your household fans help a little, but they’re nowhere near sufficient for proper structural drying. Professional air movers are 10 times more powerful and get positioned strategically based on moisture meter readings showing exactly where water is hiding. They run for days, not hours, creating airflow patterns designed specifically for drying building materials.
Your Water Damage Response Continues Beyond 30 Minutes
You’ve done everything possible in the first critical half hour. Now comes the waiting and monitoring phase until professionals arrive.
Waiting for Professional Arrival
Stay available by phone. The restoration company or insurance adjuster might call with questions.
Don’t start major cleanup yet. You’ve documented everything and done initial damage control. Wait for a professional assessment before going further.
Keep documenting if new damage appears. More water seeping from walls, ceiling stains spreading, anything changing needs fresh photos.
Monitor for safety changes. New leaks are appearing, ceiling damage is getting worse, and electrical issues are developing. Report these immediately if they happen.
Keep people and pets away from affected areas. Water damage sites have hazards, and the chaos doesn’t help anyone.
What Professionals Will Do When They Arrive
We start with a complete safety and damage assessment. Our technicians check for structural issues, electrical hazards, and contamination before doing anything else.
Then we deploy industrial water extraction equipment. These machines pull 30 to 40 gallons per minute, vastly more powerful than any shop vac. Standing water disappears quickly.
We set up commercial dehumidifiers throughout affected areas. These units remove 150 plus pints of moisture per day from the air and materials.
Air movers get positioned strategically to create airflow patterns across all wet surfaces. We’ll use multiple units to ensure proper circulation.
Moisture meters and infrared cameras show us exactly where water is hiding. We check inside walls, under floors, and in ceiling cavities. If there’s moisture, we find it.
We create a drying plan with realistic timelines. You’ll know what to expect each day.
Antimicrobial treatment gets applied when needed, especially for gray or black water situations. This prevents bacterial growth and eliminates odors.
We coordinate directly with your insurance company, providing the documentation and estimates they require.
The Days Following
Our technicians return daily to take fresh moisture readings and adjust equipment as needed. Drying isn’t a set it and forget it process.
We track moisture levels in all affected materials. Different materials dry at different rates. We monitor until everything reaches normal levels.
Content pack out happens if your belongings need specialized cleaning and drying in our climate-controlled facility.
Documentation continues throughout the process. We photograph and log everything for insurance purposes.
Drying typically takes 3 to 7 days for most residential situations. Severe damage can extend this to two weeks.
Restoration and repairs begin only after complete drying. Replacing drywall or flooring over wet materials is a recipe for disaster.
Your Role After Professionals Take Over
Stay in contact with the restoration company. Ask questions if you’re unclear about anything.
Communicate with your insurance adjuster. Return calls promptly and provide any information they request.
Keep receipts for any emergency expenses. Hotel stays, meals out, emergency purchases, save everything. Your policy might reimburse these costs.
Make temporary living arrangements if needed. Severe damage might make your home temporarily uninhabitable.
Don’t interfere with drying equipment. Don’t unplug dehumidifiers to charge your phone. Don’t move air movers because they’re loud. The equipment placement is strategic, and changing it slows drying.
You’ve done the critical first steps. Now let professionals finish the job properly with the equipment and expertise you don’t have.
First Steps After Water Damage – Mistakes to Avoid
Even with good intentions, homeowners make predictable mistakes in those first crucial minutes. Here’s what not to do.
Mistake 1: Waiting to See If It Gets Worse
Water damage always gets worse, never better. It doesn’t spontaneously improve or dry itself out in any useful timeframe.
“Maybe it will dry on its own” is a thought that costs thousands. Water hidden in walls and under floors causes damage you can’t see until it’s catastrophic.
Every hour of delay increases both physical damage and repair costs. What could have been a three-day drying job becomes a two-week demolition and rebuild project.
Call professionals immediately, not tomorrow, not next week. Tonight, if it happens at night. Right now, if it happens during the day.
Mistake 2: Trying to DIY Major Water Removal
Your wet/dry vac and mop can’t handle serious water damage. Household equipment can’t remove enough water fast enough.
You can’t see moisture inside walls and under floors without specialized equipment. Moisture meters and infrared cameras reveal hidden water. Your eyes don’t.
Improper drying leads to mold problems that surface weeks or months later. By then, you’ve got a much bigger and more expensive problem.
DIY water damage cleanup often voids insurance coverage. Policies expect professional mitigation. Trying to save money by going it alone might cost you your entire claim.
Mistake 3: Starting to Clean Before Documentation
Once you clean up, evidence disappears. You can’t recreate the scene for insurance adjusters who arrive days later.
Insurance companies need proof of the extent. “It was really bad” doesn’t work without photos showing exactly how bad.
You cannot go back in time. Miss the documentation window, and you’re stuck with whatever settlement the insurance company offers based on incomplete evidence.
Document first, clean second. Always. No exceptions.
Mistake 4: Throwing Things Away Too Quickly
Insurance adjusters need to see damaged items before you dispose of them. Throwing things out prematurely eliminates evidence supporting your claim.
Some items that look ruined are actually salvageable with professional cleaning and restoration. That couch that seems destroyed might be restorable. You won’t know until experts assess it.
Premature disposal reduces claim payouts. Insurance companies only pay for damage they can verify. No damaged item equals no payment for that item.
Get adjuster approval before discarding anything significant. Document everything you do, throw away with photos showing the damage that made it unsalvageable.
Mistake 5: Not Checking for Hidden Water
Water travels through walls, floors, and ceilings following paths you can’t predict. A leak on the second floor can show up in the basement.
Damage often extends far beyond visible wet spots. Water spreads horizontally through flooring materials and vertically through wall cavities.
Ignoring hidden moisture causes long-term problems. Mold grows in places you can’t see. Wood rot develops silently. Structural damage progresses invisibly.
Professionals use moisture meters that measure water content inside materials and infrared cameras that show temperature differences indicating moisture. These tools find hidden water that causes problems later.
Mistake 6: Assuming Your Regular Insurance Covers Everything
Flood insurance is completely separate from homeowners’ insurance. Rising water from outside requires flood coverage that most homeowners don’t have.
Some types of water damage aren’t covered by standard policies. Gradual leaks you ignored for months usually aren’t covered. Sewage backup often requires a special rider.
Coverage depends entirely on the cause. Sudden pipe bursts are usually covered. Years of slow seepage from poor maintenance aren’t.
Read your policy carefully or call your agent with specific questions. Don’t assume. File the claim anyway, even if you’re unsure. Let the insurance company make the coverage determination.
Mistake 7: Delaying the Insurance Call
Same-day notification is often required by policy terms. Check your policy language. Many require “prompt” notification.
Delays can reduce or deny claims entirely. Insurance companies use late notification as grounds to question the severity or even the existence of damage.
Insurance companies track your response time. A fast response makes you look responsible. Slow response makes them suspicious.
Call even if you’re not sure about coverage. Even if you think the damage is minor. Even if you’re worried about rate increases. Call and file the claim. You can always withdraw it later if it turns out to be unnecessary, but you can’t go back in time and file it when you should have.
Common Questions About First Steps After Water Damage
What’s the very first thing I should do after discovering water damage?
Check for safety hazards first. Look for electrical dangers and structural issues before doing anything else. If safe, stop the water source, then document and call professionals immediately.
Should I try to remove all the water myself before calling professionals?
No. Remove only small amounts of surface water if safe. Professional extraction equipment works 50 times faster and finds hidden moisture you’ll miss. Call pros immediately, don’t wait.
Can I use my regular vacuum to remove water?
Absolutely not. Regular vacuums aren’t designed for water, create serious electrical shock risks, and you’ll destroy the motor. Use a wet/dry shop vac only if you own one.
How long can I wait before calling a restoration company?
Don’t wait at all. Call within the first hour if possible. Mold starts growing in 24 to 48 hours, and damage worsens every minute. Immediate response saves money and your home.
Do I need to move all my furniture immediately?
Move what you safely can, prioritizing electronics and irreplaceable items. Lift large pieces onto blocks if possible. Leave heavy items for professionals to assess and handle appropriately.
Should I open windows to help things dry?
Only if the weather permits and it’s not humid outside. Dry, breezy conditions help. Rain or high humidity makes it worse. Professional dehumidifiers work better than windows anyway.
What if the water damage happens at night or on the weekend?
Call immediately, regardless of the time. USA Restoration provides a true 24/7 emergency response. Water doesn’t wait for business hours, and neither should you. We answer and respond at any time.
Will my insurance cover water damage if I don’t call them right away?
Maybe not. Many policies require prompt notification. Delays can reduce payouts or cause complete denial. Call your insurance company the same day you discover damage, no exceptions.
Know What to Do Before Disaster Strikes
The 30-minute timeline sounds simple when you’re reading it calmly. Safety check, stop water, document, call professionals, begin removal, protect belongings, ventilate. But in the moment, with water spreading through your home, most homeowners panic and either freeze or rush into dangerous mistakes.
The first steps after water damage determine your final outcome. Act immediately and correctly, and you’re looking at manageable repairs and full insurance coverage. Delay or make critical errors, and you’re facing extensive damage, mold problems, and potential claim denial.
Most homeowners don’t know what to do, which costs them dearly. Following this water damage response plan can save you thousands of dollars and weeks of stress.
When water damage hits your Vancouver, WA home, you won’t have time to research what to do. You need to act fast. Save USA Restoration’s number in your phone right now. We’re available 24/7 and typically arrive within an hour anywhere in Clark County. Our IICRC-certified technicians bring industrial equipment and decades of combined experience.
The first 30 minutes are completely in your control. What you do right now, in those critical first moments after discovering water damage, determines how much of your home you can save. Don’t waste those minutes. Follow this plan, stay safe, and get professionals on site as quickly as possible.