When surge water leaves a home, the first hours decide how much is saved. Keep out until the power is confirmed off, do not touch wiring that was in the water, photograph the damage before anything moves, avoid contaminated water and call a restoration crew. The crew arrives as soon as it is free, and no arrival time is promised.
Key takeaways
- Do not enter a building with standing water until the power is confirmed off at the breaker or the panel.
- Treat surge water as contaminated: it carries silt, debris and possibly sewage, so avoid contact and wash hands after any contact.
- Photograph the water line, the damage and the contents before anything is moved or cleaned.
- Keep wet porous materials out of closets and avoid closing up the building while it is still wet.
- Do not run appliances, heaters or generators inside the building while it is wet.
- Call a restoration crew early; calls are answered 24/7 and a crew goes out as soon as one is free.
Is it safe to go back into the house right after the water leaves?
Not until the power is confirmed off and the building has been checked. Water that has receded still holds electrical hazards, damaged structure and contaminated material. The first step is to stay out of the building until a safe entry point has been confirmed.
Surge water can leave outlets, fixtures and the electrical panel wet, and damp wiring can still carry current. If the building has power and the panel is in water, do not enter. Call the power company or an electrician, and wait for the check.
Structural damage is the second hazard. Floors that were lifted by water, stairs that were moved and walls that were undermined can give way. Look at the foundation and the skirting from outside, and do not walk on a floor that feels soft or that has sand piled against a door that will not open.
Should I turn off the electricity, and how?
Turn off the electricity at the breaker only if you can reach it from a dry spot without standing in water. If the panel is wet, or the breaker is in the water, leave it alone and call. Do not touch a fixture, outlet or cord that has been in water.
Look for the main breaker or the panel in a dry area before you go near it, and never reach into a wet panel. A flicker, a buzzing sound, a burnt smell or a warm outlet are signs to stay back and call.
Gas appliances need the same care. Do not light a pilot or turn on a gas appliance that has been in water. Let a qualified person check the connection before it is used again.
What do I photograph before anything is moved?
Photograph the water line on the walls, the standing water, the damage to the floor and the contents, and the outside of the building. Take wide shots of each room and close shots of the damage, with the time on each if your phone records it.
The water line is the most important photograph. It shows the height the water reached, and it is the first measure a crew uses to plan the removal. Take it on each wall that shows a line, and include a reference object such as a door or a window for scale.
Photograph the contents as they sit before anything is moved, including furniture, appliances and stored goods. The photographs are the record for the claim, and they show what the water reached and what was dry before it came in.
How do I keep myself and the family safe from the water?
Treat the water as contaminated. Keep children and pets out, wear waterproof boots and gloves, and wash hands and any exposed skin with soap and water after contact. Do not let a child play in the water, and do not wade through it to reach a room.
Surge water carries silt, soil and debris, and it can carry sewage from a line or a septic system. Those materials carry bacteria, and an open cut that touches the water is a route for infection. Anyone who has been in the water should wash and watch for signs of infection.
Keep clear of sharp debris, nails, glass and anything that the water has moved. A torn shoe or a cut hand can turn a small job into a medical one, and the first hours are when people are most likely to be careless.
What should I move, and what should I leave?
Move valuables, documents, medicines and electronics out of the water and onto a dry surface. Leave heavy furniture and anything in standing water to the crew, and do not carry items through the water.
Papers and photographs can be dried if they are separated and laid flat in a dry, ventilated room, but they should not be stacked or left in a damp closet. Electronics should not be switched on until a specialist has checked them.
Keep wet items out of closets and off the carpet, because they soak the floor and hold moisture against the subfloor. Lift what you can reach, and stop when the water is deeper than the bottom of your boots.
Should I close the house up or leave the windows open?
Keep the doors and windows closed while the building is wet, unless the room has to be ventilated for safety. Open windows let humid outside air into the building and slow the drying, and a building that is closed up while still wet can grow mold.
Humid Gulf coast air holds moisture, and a building with its windows open takes that air in. The drying equipment works better when the building is closed and the air inside is the air being dried.
If a room smells strongly or feels unsafe to stay in, ventilate it briefly and leave it. Do not run an HVAC system that pulls air through a wet area, because it can spread the moisture and the smell to the rest of the house.
What should I do about appliances and heaters?
Do not run appliances, the water heater or a generator inside the building while it is wet. Shut off the supply to any appliance that has been in water, and leave a gas appliance for a qualified person to check.
A generator must be run outdoors and well away from doors and windows, because its exhaust can enter the building. Keep the generator dry, and do not connect it to the house wiring without a qualified electrician.
Appliances that were in water are not safe to use until a service trade has checked them. Their power and supply should be off, and the trade should confirm the condition before the appliance is used.
When should I call, and what will the crew need?
Call as soon as the water is off or as soon as you find it. The crew needs the address, the room, the source, whether the power is off and whether the water is still moving. Calls are answered 24/7, and the crew goes out as soon as one is free.
A call that gives the facts in order lets the crew plan the first visit and bring the right equipment. Tell the operator what you have already done, such as turning off the power or the supply, so the crew knows what is still open.
No arrival time is promised on the call, because the crew goes out as soon as it is free and the number of open calls after a storm can be high. The advice you can act on in the meantime is what is in this guide.
Why does the house feel dry on the surface but stay wet inside?
Water that has left the floor can still be held in the wall cavity, under the flooring and in the framing, and those places stay wet long after the surface looks dry. The first hours do not finish the job, and the homeowner should not judge the building by how it feels underfoot.
Surge water wicks upward through drywall and insulation, and it can reach a foot or more above the visible line. The surface may dry in a day while the wall behind it holds moisture for much longer. A reading taken with a meter, not a touch, is what shows whether that moisture is still there.
Humid Gulf coast air slows that last stage. A room can feel dry to the hand in the afternoon and still read wet in the framing the next morning, which is why the crew logs readings on each visit rather than relying on how the building feels.
What does the first day with a crew look like?
The crew confirms the power and the entry, checks the building for structural and electrical hazards, and then removes standing water with pumps or extraction equipment. Materials that cannot be dried are identified and listed before anything is taken out of the building.
The homeowner's part is to point out the rooms, the openings and the items that matter most, and to sign off on the list of what is being removed. A good crew explains each step, shows the readings and says what will happen on the next visit, so the first day ends with a plan rather than only a clean floor.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start cleaning the mud before the crew comes?
Only the small, dry, non-porous items, and only with gloves and after the power is confirmed off. Do not scrub or pressure-wash silt, because it pushes the material into the gaps and the wall. The crew removes what it should and records what it sees.
How long should I wait before I open a window?
Keep the windows closed while the building is wet, unless a room must be aired for safety. Opening the windows lets in humid air that slows the drying, and the crew will ask for the building to be kept closed on its first visit.
What if I smell a sewage odor after the surge?
Keep the room closed off, avoid contact with the water, and tell the crew about the smell when you call. Sewage carries bacteria, and the crew cleans and sanitizes the area with protective gear.
Should I call my insurer first?
You can call the insurer at any time, and the photographs and the first notes help that call. The restoration crew does not need the claim number to come out, and the first steps to stop the water are not delayed by the call to the insurer.
Can I stay in the house while the water is being removed?
Sometimes, in the dry parts of the house and after the power has been confirmed safe. The crew decides on the visit which rooms can be used and which must stay closed while the work goes on.
This guide is general information for Bay County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.