If water has just entered your home, protecting people comes before protecting belongings. Work through these steps in order, and skip any action that would put you at risk.
Safety first: Do not walk into standing water where electrical equipment may be energized. Avoid unstable buildings, sewage and contaminated floodwater. Call 911 for immediate danger.
The first 15 minutes: make a safe decision
- Move people and pets to a dry, safe location. Follow evacuation orders and local emergency instructions.
- If there is a plumbing leak and the shutoff is safely accessible from a dry location, stop the water source. Never enter floodwater to reach a valve.
- Do not switch the power on or off while standing in water. A qualified electrician or utility may need to make the area safe.
- Keep children, anyone with asthma or immune-system issues, and pets away from contaminated areas.
Once entry is safe: assess the wet areas
Look for water lines, damp baseboards, buckled floors, wet cabinets, soaked drywall and moisture around the air-conditioning system. Take photographs when it is safe to do so. A plumbing leak and outdoor floodwater can involve very different contamination risks.
The first 24–48 hours matter
The CDC and EPA advise cleaning and drying wet buildings quickly—within roughly 24–48 hours when feasible—because prolonged dampness encourages mold. This is a practical goal, not a guarantee that mold cannot develop later.
- If water was clean and the room is safe, ventilation and dehumidification may help; only operate equipment when electricity is safe.
- Porous materials exposed to sewage or outdoor floodwater often need careful professional evaluation and removal.
- Do not paint over wet walls or close up cavities before the moisture problem is corrected.
- Never mix bleach, ammonia or other household cleaners. Follow product labels and protective-equipment guidance.
Should you call a professional?
Ask for qualified help if water covers several rooms, soaked insulation or drywall, entered through a sewage backup or outdoor flood, reached the HVAC system, or cannot be dried safely and promptly. Ask the provider to identify the responsible company, any required licenses and what an estimate includes.
How to get a direct-pay estimate
You can ask ACS about a service estimate without making an insurance claim. Describe the source of the water, rooms affected, approximate size of the wet area and how long it has been wet. Availability and any inspection fees are confirmed before scheduling.
Next steps
- What happens to wet drywall and carpet?
- How to reduce mold risk after a leak
- What goes into a flood cleanup estimate?
Official guidance & reporting
These links provide additional official safety information. News reporting is identified separately. Service availability and assistance programs can change.