⚠️ Standing water + electricity is the danger pair. If water reaches outlets or the panel, don't wade in — kill power at the main only if you can reach it dry, otherwise call your electric utility.
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💧 Water Damage

You have roughly 24–48 hours before mold starts winning. Work steadily, document everything.

Know your water: clean supply-line water is a DIY-friendly cleanup. Sewage or river/street floodwater is contaminated — gloves, boots, and seriously consider professionals (see the sewer guide).

1The first 48 hours

  • Stop the source (main shut-off for plumbing; see the burst pipe guide).
  • Document before you clean — insurance pays on evidence, not memory. Then start removing water: wet-vac, mop, squeegee toward a drain.
  • Air movement beats everything: fans + open windows (dry weather) or fans + dehumidifier (humid weather). Aim air across wet surfaces, not just at them.
  • Pull up rugs; lift furniture onto blocks/foil; open cabinet doors and drawers.
  • Wet carpet pad is usually a loss — the carpet itself can sometimes be saved; the pad almost never.
  • Baseboards off wet drywall lets the wall cavity breathe. Drywall that stayed soaked past a day or two typically needs cutting out ("flood cut").
  • Empty the dehumidifier constantly or hose it to a drain — a full tank stops working silently.

✕What not to do

  • Don't seal rooms up tight — trapped humidity is mold's favorite weather.
  • Don't paint or re-cover anything until moisture readings are normal; paint over damp drywall peels and molds underneath.
  • Don't run heat blasting with no airflow — warm + wet + still is the mold recipe.
  • Don't sign an open-ended restoration contract or Assignment of Benefits under pressure. Ask for the scope and price in writing first.
  • Don't throw damaged items out before photographing and listing them.

📷What to document (insurers live on this)

  • Wide video walk-through of every affected room, before cleanup.
  • Close-ups: water lines on walls, damaged flooring, each damaged item with any model/serial visible.
  • The cause (broken pipe, roof, appliance) — photograph it before it's repaired.
  • Every receipt: fans, dehumidifier, contractor, even the shop-vac. Mitigation costs are often reimbursable.
  • A dated log of what you did — "July 11: extracted water, started 3 fans + dehumidifier."

?Questions to ask a restoration company

  • "Will you give me a written scope with drying goals and daily moisture readings?" — real companies measure; guessers don't.
  • "What does the equipment cost per day, and how many days do you expect?"
  • "Do you bill me or my insurer, and do I sign anything assigning my claim?" (Be very careful with yes.)
  • "Are you registered/licensed here?" — verify: PA · MD · NJ.
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Educational disclaimer: Rowhome Ready is an educational directory, not an emergency dispatcher, restoration contractor, or insurance advisor. Confirm hours, pricing, insurance, and licensing directly with each business.