What Should You Do in the First 48 Hours After Water Damage?
Stop the water, make the house safe, take photos, then start drying. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. In most cases, it says, mold will not grow if things dry in that window.
This guide covers the first two days after a burst pipe or an overflowing appliance. Water that has soaked into walls or under floors is water damage restoration work.
How do you stop the water and keep everyone safe?
Shut off the water first. Most sinks and toilets have their own shutoff valve for a leak at one fixture. For a burst pipe, close the main. If you cannot find the leak or stop it, call an emergency plumber.
In this area, Medford Water says the only shutoff is often next to the water meter. Meters sit in concrete boxes, usually at the property line in front of or behind the house. Some valves need a tool to turn. The utility suggests you find yours and practice before a pipe breaks.
NOAA's normals give Medford about 64 nights a year at or below freezing, mostly from November through March. Those cold nights are when exposed pipes are most at risk.
If wiring or appliances got wet, the CDC says to turn off the power at the main breaker. If you would have to stand in water to reach the panel, call an electrician instead. Never touch a switch or an appliance while you stand in water.
If you smell gas, leave right away and call for help from outside. Never run a generator or a gas-powered pump indoors or in the garage. Carbon monoxide can build up and poison people and pets, the CDC warns.
Is the water clean, or is it sewage?
The answer decides what you can clean up yourself. An EPA report explains how the restoration industry's standard sorts water into three categories.
| Category | What it means | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | From a sanitary source, with no significant risk on contact | Clean water from a supply line |
| Category 2 | Significant contamination that can make people sick | A washer or dishwasher overflow, a toilet backup without feces |
| Category 3 | Grossly contaminated and can carry germs or toxins | Sewage, rising water from rivers or streams |
The CDC warns that floodwater can carry bacteria from overflowing sewage. Keep children and pets away until cleanup is done. If sewage is involved, wear rubber boots and gloves, and add goggles.
For sewage damage, the EPA says to call in a professional with experience in contaminated water. It also says not to use fans until you know the water is clean.
What should you photograph before you clean up?
FEMA's flood recovery guidance says to take clear photos and video before any cleanup starts. Get these shots:
- Wide shots and close-ups of each damaged room
- How high the water rose on walls and furniture
- Damage to floors and ceilings
- Serial numbers on damaged electronics and appliances
- The source, like the split pipe or the failed supply hose
FEMA also suggests keeping small samples of damaged materials, like a piece of carpet. Save receipts for repairs and replacement items.
Call your insurance company early and ask what it needs from you. Your policy and your insurer decide what is covered.
What should you move or throw out first?
Move furniture and belongings to a dry room, an extension service advises. It also says to pull out wet carpet and pad unless the area is small. Both are very hard to clean and dry. If sewage covered the carpet, throw it out.
After floodwater or sewage, the CDC says to throw away anything you cannot clean or dry quickly. Its list includes mattresses, pillows, stuffed animals and foam rubber.
FEMA's fact sheet on family heirlooms says never to pull apart wet photos that are stuck together. Lay them face up on absorbent paper to air dry.
If sewage or floodwater soaked drywall or insulation, the CDC says to remove it and throw it out. For clean water, the EPA's cleanup table gives these steps for the first two days:
| Wet material | What the EPA table says |
|---|---|
| Carpet and backing | Wet-vacuum the water out. Dry it and the subfloor with fans and a dehumidifier. |
| Drywall | Dry it in place if it is not swollen and the seams are intact. If not, replace it. |
| Ceiling tiles | Throw out and replace. |
| Fiberglass or cellulose insulation | Throw out and replace. |
| Upholstered furniture | Pull the water out and dry it fast. A full dry within 48 hours may be hard. |
| Wood surfaces | Dry right away with fans and a dehumidifier. Go easy with heat on hardwood floors. |
| Books and papers | Throw out what you do not need. Copy or freeze important papers. |
Why does drying fast matter so much?
Standing water and wet materials breed bacteria and mold, the EPA says. They can keep damaging materials long after the water is gone.
Drywall can look dry and still be wet inside. The extension service warns that the inside of drywall may mold before it dries.
The extension service says drying needs a way in for dry air and a way out for damp air. Open windows when the weather is dry, and run a dehumidifier when the outside air is humid. The CDC suggests pointing fans so they blow air out a window.
Aim to keep indoor humidity below 60 percent, and ideally between 30 and 50 percent, the EPA says. A small humidity meter shows where you stand.
If a stain keeps spreading after the water is off, a hidden leak may still be running. That calls for leak detection to find it.
When does mold become a risk?
The EPA and the CDC use the same window: dry within 24 to 48 hours if you can. The EPA calls the 48-hour mark a guideline, though, and mold can still grow on things that dried in time.
The EPA says most people can clean up a moldy patch smaller than about 10 square feet. That is roughly 3 feet by 3 feet. Past that size, it points to its guide for larger cleanups.
Do not run the heating or cooling system if you suspect mold in it, the EPA says. It can spread mold through the house. Never mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner, the CDC warns.
You usually do not need a mold test when you can see the mold, the EPA adds. Once mold has taken hold, mold remediation contains the area and removes the moldy material.
When should you call a restoration company?
A wet vacuum and a few fans can handle a small spill of clean water. Call a restoration company when any of these are true:
- Sewage or outside floodwater got in.
- Water soaked into walls or under floors and will not dry within 48 hours.
- Mold covers more than about 10 square feet.
- Valuable or sentimental items got wet, which the EPA says may call for a restoration expert.
- The damage is big or the right steps are unclear, the extension service says.
Hukill's works out of Medford and serves the Rogue Valley. Our restoration team extracts water, dries the structure, tears out what cannot be saved and rebuilds it. Our plumbers fix the leak that started it, and we clean up sewage too.
Start with our water damage restoration page, or call or text (541) 734-9000. We look at the job and put the quote in writing.