What To Do In the First Hour After Water Damage

Stop the Source First

Before anything else, locate and stop the water. If it's a burst pipe or failed appliance supply line, shut off the water at the nearest isolation valve — usually under the sink or behind the toilet for plumbing fixtures, or at the main shutoff if you can't find the local valve. If it's an appliance (washing machine, dishwasher, water heater), cut power to it at the breaker as well.

If the water is coming in from outside — storm surge, surface flooding, or roof intrusion — you can't stop the source, but you can limit spread. Close interior doors to unaffected rooms to slow the water's path through your home.

Cut Power to Wet Areas

Water and electricity are a life-threatening combination. If water has reached or is near any electrical outlets, panels, or appliances, do not enter the affected area. Shut off power to those circuits at your breaker box — ideally from a dry area — before walking through standing water.

If your breaker panel itself is in a flooded area, do not touch it. Call an electrician or your utility company before entering.

Document Everything Before You Move Anything

Your insurance claim lives or dies on documentation. Before removing a single item, walk through the entire affected area with your phone and shoot video. Capture water levels, saturated materials, the origin point, and every damaged possession. Photograph serial number plates on appliances. Take wide shots first, then close-ups of the worst damage.

This footage becomes the backbone of your claim. Adjusters who arrive days later will want to see the original extent of damage — not a partially cleaned-up space.

Call Your Insurance Company

Most homeowners policies require you to notify your insurer "promptly" after a loss — vague language that can be used against late reporters. Call your agent or the 24-hour claims line within the first hour and open a claim number. You do not need to know the dollar amount; you just need to start the clock.

Ask the agent whether your policy covers temporary lodging if the home becomes uninhabitable, and whether you're authorized to proceed with emergency mitigation before an adjuster visits. Most policies require you to mitigate promptly to prevent further damage — documentation protects you here.

Call a Restoration Company

Water damage is a time-sensitive emergency. Porous materials — drywall, insulation, wood framing, flooring substrates — absorb water quickly and begin to support mold growth within 24 to 48 hours under Houston's ambient humidity conditions. A professional extraction and drying crew should be on-site as soon as possible.

A legitimate restoration company will deploy commercial-grade truck-mounted or portable extractors to pull standing water, then place dehumidifiers and air movers calibrated for the square footage and material types involved. Consumer-grade fans and a wet-vac are not substitutes for this equipment in a structural water loss.

What Not To Do

• Don't use your home's HVAC system to "dry out" a water loss. In Houston's humid summers, pulling in outside air can add more moisture than it removes, and spreading mold spores through ductwork creates a far larger remediation job.
• Don't use a household vacuum on standing water — it's a shock and fire hazard and lacks the capacity to matter.
• Don't discard any damaged materials before your adjuster has documented them. Disposing of evidence prematurely is one of the most common reasons claims are reduced or denied.
• Don't wait to see if things "dry on their own." In Houston's subtropical climate, unassisted drying rarely beats mold growth — especially inside walls and under flooring where airflow is minimal.

The 60-Minute Checklist

1. 1Stop the water source (shut off supply valve or main).
2. 2Cut power to wet areas at the breaker.
3. 3Film and photograph all visible damage before moving anything.
4. 4Open a claim with your insurance company.
5. 5Call a licensed water damage restoration contractor.
6. 6Move valuables and irreplaceable items (documents, jewelry) to a dry area only if you can do so safely.
7. 7Keep a written log of the time you discovered the loss and every action taken.