The first 24 hours after a water damage event determine how much damage you end up with, how much your insurance claim will cover, and how long your property will be disrupted. What you do in that window matters more than most homeowners realize.
Here's a practical walkthrough, in order of priority.
Step 1: Stop the water
Before anything else, stop the source. If a pipe has burst under a sink, shut off the valve directly below that fixture. If a supply line has ruptured behind a washing machine, dishwasher, or refrigerator, there's typically a valve near the appliance. If you can't find the local shutoff — or if water is coming from multiple places — go to your home's main water shutoff valve.
The main shutoff is usually in one of three places: in a basement or crawl space near where the water supply enters the house, in a garage on the wall adjacent to the front yard, or outside near a hose bib. In Inland Empire homes, it's often near the front of the house on the exterior wall, sometimes behind a small access panel.
Call your water utility. Most utility companies can dispatch someone to shut off water at the street within 30 to 60 minutes in an emergency. Save the after-hours number to your phone before you need it.
Step 2: Protect yourself, then your belongings
If the water is anywhere near electrical outlets, appliances, or your electrical panel, turn off the breaker for affected circuits before wading into the water. Electrocution risk in a flooded area is real and often underestimated.
Once the area is safe, move anything salvageable off the wet floor. Furniture legs wick water up, so even if the cushion is dry, the frame may be absorbing water from below. Lift upholstered furniture onto blocks or move it to an unaffected room. Remove rugs, shoes, and anything porous from the affected area. Valuables, electronics, documents, and photos go first.
Step 3: Document everything before you clean up
Take photos and video of the affected area as you first found it. This is the single most important step for your insurance claim. Get wide shots of each room, close-ups of damaged materials, photos of the water source if visible, and photos of any affected belongings.
Document everything before you move anything. If you've already moved some items for safety, photograph them in their new location and note where they were originally. If possible, photograph the timestamp on your phone or a clock in the background so there's a visual record of when the damage was documented.
Step 4: Start removing standing water (carefully)
If you have a wet/dry vacuum and the water is clean (from a supply line, not a toilet or sewer), you can start removing standing water yourself. Don't use a household vacuum — that's a fire hazard.
If the water is contaminated (toilet backup, sewage, flood water from outside), don't try to handle it yourself. Contaminated water exposes you to bacteria, viruses, and mold spores. Call a professional restoration company and wait for them to arrive.
Step 5: Call your insurance and a restoration company
You can do these in either order, but don't wait. Most homeowners insurance policies require prompt notification of a loss, and delaying the call can affect your coverage.
When you call a restoration company, ask these questions:
- How fast can you be on-site?
- Do you handle insurance documentation?
- Do you do reconstruction in-house or only mitigation?
- Are you local, or am I being routed to a national dispatch?
- What's included in your estimate?
Get clear answers. A reputable company will answer directly without dodging.
What NOT to do in the first 24 hours
- Don't try to dry wet drywall with household fans — it's not enough air movement or dehumidification to prevent mold.
- Don't throw away damaged materials before your insurance adjuster has seen them (or you've thoroughly documented them).
- Don't lift soaked carpet and leave it in place hoping it'll dry. Wet carpet pad becomes a mold incubator within 48 hours.
- Don't assume small leaks are minor. Water travels along framing and subfloor and often causes damage far from the visible source.
- Don't use bleach on mold you find. It doesn't actually kill mold on porous surfaces and can mask the problem.
The bottom line
The first 24 hours are about stopping the damage, documenting what happened, and getting professional help on-site fast. Mitigation needs to begin within that window to prevent secondary damage, especially mold growth. The longer the structure stays wet, the more materials you'll end up replacing, and the more expensive your project gets.
If you're in the Inland Empire and need help now, call Treadwell at (909) 340-3888. We answer 24/7.