Water Damage? You Have 24–48 Hours. Here's Your Checklist.

Hour 0–1: stop and document

Before any cleanup:

• Stop the source: main water shutoff for plumbing failures; tarp roof intrusions if safe
• Kill electricity to affected areas at the breaker if outlets or fixtures got wet
• Photograph and video everything before touching it — standing water, saturated materials, damaged belongings. Your insurance claim depends on this
• Call your insurer's claim line and note the claim number

Hour 1–24: remove water and start airflow

Extract standing water (wet vac, towels, or a water-damage crew for large volumes). Move furniture off wet carpet — put foil or blocks under legs to stop wicking and staining. Open windows if outdoor air is dry; run fans and a dehumidifier if you have one. Pull up rugs, open closet and cabinet doors in the wet zone.

What NOT to do: don't run the HVAC if ducts or returns got wet (it spreads moisture and spores), don't use heat to "bake" rooms dry (it accelerates mold in enclosed cavities), and don't seal or paint over damp materials.

Hour 24–48: assess what's actually wet

The visible surface drying is misleading — the danger is inside assemblies. Drywall wicks water upward far above the visible line; insulation holds water against framing for weeks; laminate and vinyl flooring trap moisture underneath. A professional moisture-meter survey tells you which materials can be dried in place and which must come out.

The rule of thumb: clean-water saturation caught within 24 hours is often dryable; gray/black water (drain backups, sewage) or anything wet beyond 48 hours generally requires removal of porous materials.

When to call a remediation contractor vs. just drying

Call for remediation-grade help if: water sat longer than 48 hours, the water wasn't clean, you smell mustiness, walls or ceilings got saturated, or the source was a recurring leak (meaning growth may predate this event). A contractor who handles both remediation and rebuild — like us — can also repair the failed plumbing or roofing in the same scope, which insurers generally prefer.