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Water Damage
What to do after a flood, a burst pipe or a leak: the first hours, drying out, and what a water damage restoration company does.
Water damage is a race against time, and the first steps are mostly about safety, then about drying. The guides below take you from the first hour to choosing a company, and each cites the agency or the work it relies on. If anyone is in danger, call 911 first.
Safety before anything else
- Stay out if the damage is obvious. The CDC says: "Don't go inside your home if there is obvious damage, like downed power lines, downed trees, or cracks in your home's walls or foundation." (CDC, returning home, April 30, 2026)
- Keep wet electricity off. The same page says: "Never turn the power on/off or use an electrical tool or appliance that is wet or when you are standing in water."
- Treat floodwater as contaminated. Ready.gov says floodwater "can be contaminated and contain dangerous debris." (Ready.gov, floods, updated August 27, 2026)
Then dry it out
The CDC says: "Clean and dry wet items within 48 to 72 hours." (CDC, preventing mold, reviewed August 26, 2026) What a company does to meet that window is covered in Water Extraction and Drying: What to Expect.
Start here
- Just happened: The First 24 Hours After Water Damage
- A pipe has burst: Burst Pipe or Flood: Plumber or Restoration Company First? and Frozen and Burst Pipes: Prevention and the First Hour
- Sewage is involved: Sewage Backup: Why It Is Not a Clean-Water Job
- Ready to hire: browse water damage restoration companies, and read mold remediation if the water sat.
Where to get help
DisasterAssistance.gov, an official FEMA site, says: "We can help you apply for FEMA disaster assistance and guide you to other resources to help you recover." 211, run by United Way, connects you to local help.
Sources, each read on 10/05/2026: the CDC pages above, Ready.gov "Floods", DisasterAssistance.gov and 211.org (the last two undated). This is general guidance, not advice for your home.
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