What to do first after water damage

If water is near outlets, the electrical panel, or appliances, don't wade in. Shut off power to the affected area at the breaker if you can do that safely; if you can't reach it safely, stay out and call an electrician or 911.

Water plus electricity is the one hazard worth more than any belonging in the room. Nothing you're trying to save is worth that risk.

A running toilet or a supply line usually has a shut-off valve nearby; the main shut-off stops everything in the house. For roof or weather intrusion you may only be able to contain it — buckets, tarps — until it's dry enough to repair.

You cannot dry a space that is still getting wet. Stopping the water comes before any cleanup.

Photograph and video everything before you move or discard anything — the standing water, the affected rooms, damaged contents. Insurers generally want to see the loss as it was.

Cleaning up first, however tempting, can complicate a claim. Ten minutes of documentation protects you later.

Once it's safe and the source is stopped, the goal is to get materials drying within hours, not days:

• →Move what you can to a dry area.
• →Mop or extract standing water.
• →Get airflow going — open windows if it's drier outside, run fans and a dehumidifier.
• →Pull up soaked rugs so the floor beneath can dry.

Water travels into wall cavities, under flooring, and into subfloors — places a mop can't reach and a surface that “feels dry” can hide. This is where professional drying and moisture monitoring matter: it's the difference between dry and dry-looking.

That hidden moisture is exactly what turns a water problem into a mold problem weeks later.