W&K Restoration Guide
What to Do in the First Hours After Water Damage
The first 24 hours decide how bad a water loss gets. Here's the order of operations.
1. Stop the source
Shut off the water at the fixture valve or the main. If you don't know where your main shutoff is, find it today — before you need it. In condos, notify management immediately; the source may be in a neighboring unit or common line.
2. Kill power to affected areas
If water has reached outlets, cords, or appliances, shut off those circuits at the breaker panel. Don't stand in water to do it.
3. Call for professional extraction
Consumer wet-vacs can't pull water from carpet pad, subfloor, or wall cavities. Mold can begin growing in 24–48 hours in materials that stay wet. Professional extraction and drying equipment is the difference between a 4-day dry-out and a gutted room.
4. Document before you move anything
Photograph and video everything — standing water, damaged contents, the source. Your insurance claim is built on this documentation. We do this systematically when we arrive, but your own photos from hour one help.
5. Call your insurance carrier
Report the loss promptly. You do not need the carrier's permission to take emergency mitigation steps — in fact, your policy requires you to prevent further damage.