The first 24 hours.

In order. The early steps are about safety and evidence — the two things hardest to recover once you've missed them.

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First ten minutes

Electricity before water, always.Never enter standing water where outlets, cords or appliances are submerged. Cut power to the affected area only if you can reach the panel while staying dry. If you can't, stay out — no belongings are worth it.
Stop the source.Fixture valve for a toilet or sink, main shut-off for anything else. If it's groundwater from outside you can't stop it — go to step three.
Get people and pets out of the water.Especially if it's discoloured or smells. Sewage exposure is a genuine health issue, not an inconvenience.

First hour: document before you touch anything

This is the step people skip and the one that costs them money. Insurers settle on evidence, and the evidence disappears the moment you start hauling ruined things to the curb.

Wide video of every affected room, narrated — say what happened and when you found it.
Wide photos of each room, then close-ups of damaged items and the water line on the wall.
Photograph the source: the split pipe, the failed pump, the overflowing fixture.
Keep receipts for anything you buy or pay for from this point on.
Don't throw anything away yet, even if it's obviously destroyed. Photograph it, move it to a garage or driveway, and let the adjuster see it.

Call your insurer early

Report the claim once immediate danger is handled. Most policies require you to mitigate — take reasonable steps to prevent further damage — so calling a restoration crew promptly protects your claim rather than jeopardising it. Waiting to "see if it dries out" is what gets claims reduced. More on claims →

First few hours: what actually helps

Lift what you can off wet flooring, if power is off and the water is clean.
Put foil or wood blocks under furniture legs on wet carpet — stain bleeds permanently.
Take up small rugs; they'll stain the floor underneath.
Move photos, documents and electronics somewhere dry first — least replaceable.
Open windows only if it's drier outside than in. In a Denver summer downpour, it isn't.

What not to do

Don't use a household vacuum on standing water — not rated for it, and an electrocution risk.
Don't just run box fans on a soaked wall. Air movement without dehumidification pushes moist air deeper and can spread contamination.
Don't clean up sewage yourself. Category 3 water needs protective equipment and antimicrobial treatment.
Don't wait to see if it dries. The single most expensive decision available to you.
Don't turn the water back on until the failure is repaired.

Why the clock matters

Drywall wicks water upward within minutes; within hours it's under the subfloor and behind baseboards. Mold generally establishes in 24 to 48 hours on materials that stay wet — and once it does, a drying job becomes a remediation job. The surface being dry means very little; what matters is moisture inside framing, slab and cavities, and the only way to know is to measure it. See how we do it →

Common questions

What should I do in the first hour after water damage?

Handle electrical safety first, stop the water at the fixture valve or main shut-off, get people and pets out of the water, then document everything with video and photos before moving or discarding anything.

Should I throw away damaged items right away?

No. Photograph damaged items and move them to a garage or driveway so the adjuster can see them. Discarding items before documentation commonly reduces claim settlements.

Will calling a restoration company hurt my insurance claim?

The opposite. Most policies require you to mitigate further damage, so arranging prompt extraction and drying supports the claim. Delaying to see whether materials dry on their own is what tends to reduce settlements.

How long until mold grows after water damage?

Mold generally begins establishing within 24 to 48 hours on materials that remain wet. After that a drying job becomes a remediation job, which is slower and more expensive.

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