The First 24 Hours After Water Damage

Keep everyone away from water near outlets and cords. Turn off breakers for wet rooms only from a dry floor. Stay out from under sagging ceilings, especially heavy plaster ones.

Close the main valve near the front hose bib or at the meter box, the fixture valve, or the irrigation gate. Know where these are before you need them.

Photograph and video every wet area, the source and damaged belongings before moving anything.

Move electronics, papers, photos and rugs to a dry room. Lift furniture onto foil or blocks.

Call a plumber, roofer or drain contractor for the source and a restoration provider for the water; see emergency water extraction. Call your insurer or agent.

The provider removes water, takes readings, pulls baseboards or pad where needed and sets air movers and dehumidifiers. Keep the equipment running.

Keep interior doors open for airflow. In humid monsoon weather, keep windows closed and let dehumidifiers work.

Do not use a household vacuum on water, do not turn on wet lights, do not paint or cover wet walls, and do not let wet materials sit for days.

Mold can start on wet materials within 24 to 48 hours. Plaster, wood floors and old slabs hold water, so starting fast keeps repairs small.

Minutes 0 to 10: safety and shut-off. Minutes 10 to 30: photos and moving belongings. First hour: calls to the right trade, the restoration provider and your insurer. Hours 2 to 6: extraction and drying setup. Day one evening: equipment running, readings logged, plan for the next visit.

Older homes often have plaster walls and wood floors. Both soak up water and need careful drying. Pulling wet carpet off wood floors early and getting dehumidifiers running quickly gives them the best chance.

Keep pets and small children away from wet areas, cords and equipment. If water is dirty, such as sewage or irrigation water, keep them out entirely until cleaning is done.

For clean water, most families stay. For sewage, extensive damage or no working bathroom, a night or two elsewhere may be safer. Ask your insurer whether temporary living costs are covered.

The provider returns to take readings and adjust equipment. Keep everything running and report any new smells or stains. Repairs start once materials are dry.

Water in your home right now? Call (602) 878-3892; a local provider answers 24 hours a day.

Save the main valve location, the irrigation gate location, a plumber's number, your insurer's claim line and (602) 878-3892 in your phone today.

Waiting until morning to call, running only household fans, throwing away damaged items before photographing them and closing walls before they are dry all make the job bigger.

Plumber for pipes and drains, roofer for roof leaks, the irrigation contact for yard water, a restoration provider for the water inside, and your insurer for the claim.

The first day decides the size of the repair. Move fast and in order.

Water damage feels overwhelming in the moment, but the first day follows a simple order: make it safe, stop the water, document, protect belongings, call the right people and start drying. Homes where that happens quickly usually need small repairs; homes where water sits for days usually need big ones.

Print this list and keep it with your important papers: where the main valve is, where the irrigation gate is, who to call for plumbing, roofing and drying, and your insurer's claim number. When water hits at 2 a.m., you will not want to search for any of it.

Stay calm, follow the order, keep everyone safe and call (602) 878-3892 so drying starts within hours, not days. The difference between a small repair and a major renovation is usually measured in hours, not days. Knowing where your valves are, having a list of numbers ready and calling for drying right away gives your home the best chance to recover quickly and keeps the insurance claim simple. Stay safe and act early, please, every time.

Safety, shut-off, photos, belongings, calls and drying, in that order, within the first day.

Questions about the first 24 hours after water damage? Call (602) 878-3892 to reach a local North Central Phoenix provider, 24 hours a day.