What To Do in the First 24 Hours After Water Damage

Water damage is one of the most stressful things a homeowner can face — especially when it happens suddenly at 2am from a burst pipe or during a storm. What you do in the first 24 hours can save you thousands of dollars and prevent mold from taking hold.

Step 1: Ensure Your Safety First

Before anything else, make sure the situation is safe. If there's any chance of electrical hazards from water near outlets, breaker panels, or appliances, stay out and call your utility company first. If the water is from a sewage backup, it's a biohazard — don't touch it without protective equipment.

Step 2: Stop the Source (If Possible)

If a pipe burst, turn off your water main immediately. Every minute the water flows, the damage gets worse. Your water shut-off is typically near the water meter, often in the garage, utility room, or outside near the curb. Know where yours is before an emergency happens.

Step 3: Document Everything Before Touching It

Take photos and video of every affected area before you move anything. Walk through the entire house — water travels and often affects areas far from the source. Your insurance company will want this documentation, and so will the restoration company that writes your estimate.

Step 4: Call a Professional Restoration Company

Call a restoration company right away, not after you've tried to clean it up yourself. DIY water extraction with a shop vac misses the moisture trapped in walls, subfloor, and insulation. This hidden moisture feeds mold; EPA advises drying water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. Professional equipment (truck-mounted extractors, thermal cameras, commercial dehumidifiers) is necessary to actually dry the structure.

Step 5: Contact Your Insurance Company

Open a claim as soon as possible. You can open the claim while you wait for the restoration company. Your matched company documents the damage and can explain its own estimate to the adjuster. Florida claim deadlines: what to know.

What NOT to Do

• Don't use a household fan or hair dryer — these don't reach structural moisture
• Don't throw damaged items away before documentation
• Don't wait to call — every hour increases mold risk and repair costs
• Don't turn on HVAC systems that may have been affected by water

Call Central Florida Disaster Recovery

Call any hour. Owner Ryan Solberg takes the calls; if he is on another call, he calls you back. Water damage in Orlando or Central Florida? Call or text Ryan at 321-420-7274 and he matches you with a restoration company. You pay CFDR nothing, and CFDR does not bill your insurer. House flooded? Who to call, in order.