Dryford Water damage guides

2 min read Updated

The first hour after a water leak

Safety first, then stop the water, then take photos. These steps limit the damage and make the insurance claim easier.

1. Make it safe (minutes 0-5)

  • Smell gas, see sparks, or water is near the electrical panel? Get everyone out and call 911 from outside.
  • Ceiling sagging or bulging with water? Keep people out of the room. A saturated ceiling can come down.
  • Sewage or flood water? Keep children and pets away and don’t touch it without gloves and boots.

2. Stop the water (minutes 5-10)

  • Supply line, pipe or fixture: close the fixture’s own valve (under the sink, behind the toilet, behind the washer). If you can’t find it, shut off the main water valve. It’s usually where the line enters the house or at the meter by the street.
  • Water heater: close the cold-water valve on top of the tank. For a gas heater, turn the gas control to OFF; for an electric heater, switch off its breaker.
  • Roof or storm water: you can’t stop the rain, but you can move things away from the drip and catch it in buckets. Stay off wet roofs.

3. Take photos before you clean (minutes 10-20)

  • Take wide photos of each room, then close-ups of the water line on walls, damaged items and the source (the pipe, the tank, the ceiling stain).
  • Record a short video walking through the house.
  • Keep damaged items unless they’re a health hazard. Your adjuster may want to see them.

4. Protect what you can (minutes 20-45)

  • Move electronics, documents, photos and rugs to a dry room.
  • Put aluminum foil or plastic under furniture legs on wet carpet.
  • Hang wet curtains and rugs up off the floor.

5. Make the calls (minutes 45-60)

  • Report the loss to your insurance company and write down the claim number and your adjuster’s name. Your policy decides what’s covered, so ask them what applies to you.
  • Call a licensed contractor to extract the water and measure where moisture went. Ask for moisture readings and a drying log in writing.

What not to do

  • Don’t use a household vacuum on water.
  • Don’t turn on ceiling fans or lights under a wet ceiling.
  • Don’t wait for things to “air dry” behind walls or under flooring. Without readings you can’t tell when they’re dry.
  • Don’t sign anything you haven’t read. In California a contract signed in your home can usually be cancelled until midnight of the third working day after you sign (the fifth if you are 65 or older). For emergency repairs you asked for, that right can be waived only in a separate statement you write and sign.

Sources

  1. FEMA: Returning home after a flood (safety) ready.gov
  2. California Department of Insurance: Residential property claims insurance.ca.gov
  3. U.S. EPA: Mold cleanup in your home epa.gov

Written by Dryford. General information, not advice for your home or your policy.

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