What to Do After Water Damage: The First 24-48 Hours

After water damage, your first job is to make sure the area is safe, then stop the water, document everything, and start drying as fast as you can. The EPA says water-damaged areas and items should be dried within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth (EPA ↗).

Step 1: Check for danger before you go in

Water and electricity are a deadly mix. Before you step into a wet room or basement:

• Turn off the power if it's safe. The CDC says that if circuits or equipment got wet, turn off power at the main breaker or fuse box. If you would have to stand in water to reach the panel, call an electrician instead. Never switch power on or off while standing in water (CDC ↗).
• Don't touch wet electrical equipment. Ready.gov warns not to touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water (Ready.gov ↗).
• Leave if you smell gas. The CDC says to get out and contact emergency authorities right away, and not to use lights, matches or anything that could spark (CDC ↗).
• Watch for structural damage. Sagging ceilings and soft floors can collapse. If you see them, stay out and call 911 or your local building department.
• Keep kids and pets out. The CDC advises keeping them away until cleanup is finished (CDC ↗).

If the water came from outside, such as a flood, it may contain sewage, chemicals and debris. The CDC links contact with floodwater to wound infections, rashes and stomach illness (CDC floodwater guidance ↗).

Step 2: Stop the source of the water

If a pipe, water heater or appliance hose is leaking, shut off the water. The Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) recommends knowing where your main water shut-off valve is before you need it (Triple-I ↗). If you don't know where yours is, find it now, while things are calm.

For a single fixture, there's usually a small valve under the sink or behind the toilet or washer. For a burst pipe, see our burst pipe guide.

If water is backing up from a floor drain, toilet or tub and it smells like sewage, stop using water in the house and read our sewage backup cleanup guide. That is a different, more dangerous kind of water.

Step 3: Take photos and video before cleanup

Your insurance claim depends on what you can show. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) recommends that you:

• Take photos or video of the damage before making repairs
• Make a list of damaged property
• Not throw damaged items away until an adjuster has had a chance to see them
• Make only the repairs needed to prevent more damage, and save every receipt
• Not make permanent repairs until your insurer tells you to (TDI claim guide ↗)

Shoot wide shots of each room, then close-ups of the waterline on walls, damaged floors, and the pipe or appliance that failed. For a step-by-step checklist, see this guide on how to document damage for an insurance claim ↗.

Step 4: Call your insurance company

Report the damage right away. TDI says you usually must report water damage that was hidden from view within days after you first see it (TDI ↗).

What's covered depends on where the water came from:

• Sudden and accidental water damage, like a burst pipe, is covered by most homeowner and renters policies. Gradual leaks usually are not (TDI ↗).
• Flood water from outside is a separate matter. FEMA says most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage (FEMA ↗).

For a deeper look at coverage, see does insurance cover water damage restoration.

Step 5: Start drying within 24-48 hours

This is the step that decides whether you end up with a mold problem. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold (EPA ↗). TDI warns that mold can start growing within a day after a leak (TDI ↗). FEMA says that if you can't dry things out within 48 hours, you should assume mold is growing (FEMA ↗).

To speed up drying:

• Remove standing water. Use buckets, mops or a wet/dry vacuum.
• Pull up wet carpets and rugs. TDI lists this as one of the first steps (TDI ↗).
• Get air moving. Open doors and windows and use fans, as the CDC suggests (CDC ↗). FEMA says to use fans and dehumidifiers only when electricity is safe to use, and not to use fans if mold has already started to grow, because they can spread it (FEMA ↗).

Surfaces can feel dry while walls and subfloors stay wet inside. The EPA says everything in the home needs to be completely dry before you replace walls and flooring (EPA ↗), and its cleanup guidance notes that a moisture meter can be used to check moisture levels in building materials (EPA worker guide ↗). See how long water damage takes to dry.

Water in the basement: what to do

Basements flood often and dry slowly. A few extra cautions:

• Don't wade in if the water could reach outlets, appliances or the electrical panel. Call an electrician or the utility.
• If the water is several feet deep, don't pump it all out at once. The EPA warns that removing water too quickly can cause structural damage (EPA ↗).
• If the water came in from outside or up through a floor drain, treat it as contaminated. The CDC recommends rubber boots, rubber gloves and goggles when sewage is involved (CDC ↗). See our sewage backup guide.

Step 6: Decide what to throw away

Porous materials soak up water and are hard to clean. The EPA's guidance for cleanup workers says porous materials like drywall, carpet, insulation and ceiling tile are very difficult to fully clean, and that as a general rule, if a porous material has been wet for over 48 hours, it is best to remove and replace it (EPA worker guide ↗).

The EPA's "What Can I Keep?" chart for flooded homes sorts common items this way (EPA ↗):

The CDC adds that you should throw away anything you can't clean or dry quickly, such as mattresses, carpeting, upholstered furniture, stuffed animals and paper products, plus drywall and insulation contaminated by sewage or floodwater (CDC ↗).

Step 7: Know when to call a professional

Some small, clean-water leaks are manageable on your own. For mold, the EPA says most people can clean up an area smaller than about 10 square feet themselves (EPA ↗).

Call a water damage restoration company when:

• The water was dirty. The EPA says that if damage was caused by sewage or other contaminated water, call in a professional with experience cleaning buildings damaged by contaminated water (EPA ↗).
• You can't dry it in 24-48 hours. Large areas, soaked walls and wet subfloors need commercial drying equipment and moisture monitoring.
• Water got into walls, ceilings or HVAC. The EPA says not to run your HVAC system if you suspect it is contaminated with mold (EPA ↗).
• You have health concerns. The EPA suggests talking to a health professional before starting cleanup if you do (EPA ↗).

When you hire, protect yourself. The FTC warns that scammers often show up after disasters and advises you to confirm a contractor's license and insurance, get a written contract, avoid paying by cash or wire transfer, and never sign your insurance check over to a contractor (FTC ↗). Licensing rules vary by state; see our pages for Texas, Florida and New York, and our guides on choosing a restoration company and restoration contractor scams.

Costs depend on how much area is wet, how dirty the water is, what has to be removed and how many days of equipment are needed. Our water damage restoration cost guide explains what drives the price.

You can browse restoration companies or Get matched with restoration companies near you.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have before water damage turns into mold?

Not long. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold (EPA ↗), and TDI notes mold can start growing within a day.

Can I stay in my house after water damage?

It depends on the damage. Stay out if you smell gas, see sagging ceilings, or can't safely shut off power to wet areas, and follow the CDC's advice to leave and call authorities if you suspect a gas leak (CDC ↗).

Should I throw away wet drywall?

Often, yes. The EPA says porous materials like drywall that have been wet for more than 48 hours are generally best removed and replaced (EPA ↗). Photograph it first for your claim.

Should I wait for the insurance adjuster before cleaning up?

No. Take photos, then take steps to prevent more damage, such as removing water and drying. TDI says to make only the repairs needed to prevent further damage and hold off on permanent repairs until your insurer says so (TDI ↗).

Is water in my basement covered by insurance?

It depends on the source. A burst pipe is usually covered as sudden and accidental damage (TDI ↗). Flood water usually needs a separate flood policy (FEMA ↗), and sewer backup usually needs a separate endorsement (Triple-I ↗).

Can I clean up water damage myself?

Small, clean-water spills you can dry quickly are often manageable. Call a professional for sewage or other contaminated water, large areas, or anything you can't dry within 24 to 48 hours (EPA ↗).