What to Do After Water Damage

A burst supply line, an overflowing AC drain pan or a failed water heater can put a surprising amount of water on the floor in a short time. Panic tends to make people do things out of order: mopping before the water is off, or moving furniture before checking whether the outlet behind it is live. The steps below follow the order that protects people first, then the building.

The first-hours checklist

1. Check for electrical, gas and structural hazards.
2. Stop the water.
3. Photograph and video the damage.
4. Move belongings out of the wet area.
5. Remove small amounts of clean standing water.
6. Tell building management if you live in a condo or apartment.
7. Call a restoration company if the water has spread beyond a small spill.

Each step is explained below.

1. Make sure the area is safe to enter

Electricity. Water and power are the most serious risk in a leak. The CDC warns never to turn power on or off, or use an electric tool or appliance, while standing in water. If you can reach the breaker panel from a dry spot, shut off the circuits feeding the wet rooms. If you cannot, keep everyone out of the water and call an electrician.

Gas. If you smell gas or hear hissing near a gas water heater, dryer or range, leave the home right away, as CDC guidance advises, and call the gas utility or 911 from outside. Do not flip light switches or do anything else that could make a spark on the way out.

Sagging ceilings. A ceiling that bulges, drips from one point or looks heavy is holding water above it. Drywall can give way under that weight. Keep people and pets out from under it, and do not poke it unless you know exactly what you are doing and have a bucket and a clear exit.

Contaminated water. Water from a toilet overflow, a sewer backup or flooding from outside can carry bacteria and other contaminants. Avoid wading through it, keep children and pets away, and wear rubber boots and gloves if you must go in. This kind of water calls for sewage cleanup rather than a mop and a fan.

2. Stop the source

If the leak is from one fixture, close its supply valve. Toilets, sinks, washing machines and dishwashers usually have a small shutoff behind or under them.

If the water is coming from a pipe in a wall, ceiling or slab, or you cannot find the fixture valve, close the main shutoff. Where it sits varies:

• Single-family homes often have a main valve where the water line enters the house, commonly on an exterior wall, in the garage or near the water heater. There is also a valve at the meter, usually near the street, though it may need a meter key.
• Condos and apartments usually have a shutoff for each unit, often inside a utility closet, near the water heater or behind an access panel. Some buildings control water only from a mechanical room, in which case building staff will need to shut it off.

A leaking water heater has a cold water supply valve on the pipe entering the top of the tank. Close it, then turn off the power at the breaker (electric) or set the gas control to off or pilot (gas). Do not drain a hot tank; the water can scald.

It helps to find these valves before anything goes wrong. Label them so anyone in the household can shut the water off quickly.

3. Document before you move anything

Take wide photos of each room first, then close-ups of stains, swollen baseboards, wet flooring and the source itself (the burst hose, the cracked fitting, the overflowing pan). A short video walking through the space is useful too. Save any failed part rather than throwing it away. Photos taken before cleanup show conditions that disappear once things are moved or dried.

4. Move belongings out of the wet area

Get electronics, documents, photos, rugs and anything else that absorbs water into a dry room. Lift furniture off wet carpet with foil, plastic lids or wood blocks under the legs so stains do not transfer. Pull back curtains and bed skirts that touch wet floors.

5. Remove standing water if it is small and clean

For a modest amount of clean water, towels, mops and a wet/dry shop vacuum are appropriate. The CDC lists a wet-dry shop vacuum, the vacuum function of a carpet cleaner, or a water pump as the tools for removing standing water.

Beyond that, household tools stop being effective. Water that has run under laminate, into wall cavities or down to a lower floor is not something a mop can reach, and emergency water removal with commercial extractors is the faster route.

Running the AC helps in South Florida, where indoor air is humid enough that wet materials struggle to dry on their own. Open windows only if the air outside is drier than inside, which is rare for much of the year.

What not to do

• Do not use a regular household vacuum on water. It is not built for liquid and can create a shock hazard.
• Do not turn on ceiling lights or fans under a wet ceiling. Water can collect around fixtures and in electrical boxes.
• Do not wait days to see if it dries. The EPA says that when wet or damp materials are dried within 24 to 48 hours after a leak or spill, in most cases mold will not grow. After that window, the odds change.
• Do not seal wet areas. Covering a wet floor with plastic, closing up a wet wall, or laying new flooring over damp subfloor traps moisture where it causes odor, rot and mold.
• Do not use space heaters or hair dryers near water. Heat without airflow and dehumidification mostly moves moisture around.

Condos and apartments: notify the building

Water in a multi-story building rarely affects just one unit. Report the leak to the property manager or association as soon as the source is controlled, even if your unit seems fine. The unit below may already be getting wet. If the water is coming from above, management can get access to the source unit. Put the report in writing (an email works) and include the time and a few photos.

When to call a restoration company

A small, clean spill on tile that you caught within minutes can usually be handled with towels and a fan. Call a professional when:

• Water has soaked into drywall, baseboards, cabinets or carpet pad.
• Laminate or wood flooring is wet, cupping or lifting.
• Water has reached a ceiling or a unit below.
• The source was a toilet, drain line, sewer or outside flood water.
• You notice a musty smell or the leak ran unnoticed for a day or more.

A restoration crew will measure moisture inside walls and floors, extract what is left, and set drying equipment based on readings rather than guesswork. For more on how that work is done, see the water damage restoration page. If you are worried about growth after a slow leak, the guide to mold after water damage covers what to look for.