What to Do in the First 24 Hours After Water Damage

A burst pipe in a Rochester Hills laundry room, a sump pump that quit during a Macomb County downpour, a water heater that let go in a Livonia basement. Whatever the cause, the clock starts the moment water hits the floor.

Drywall wicks water upward within hours. Carpet pad holds it for days. Mold can begin growing in 24 to 48 hours. The steps below are the order we walk homeowners through when they call Micronix for water damage restoration in Southeast Michigan.

Hour 1: Stop the water and stay safe

1. Shut off the water at the main valve if the source is a pipe or an appliance. In most Michigan homes it is near where the line enters the basement.
2. If water is anywhere near outlets, the furnace, or the electrical panel, turn off power at the breaker. If you cannot reach the panel without stepping in water, stop and call an electrician or the utility.
3. If the water came from a sewer backup or a flooded street, treat it as contaminated. Do not walk through it in bare feet and keep kids and pets out of the area.

Hours 1 to 3: Document everything

Before you move a single box, take photos and video of the water line, the source, and every damaged item. Insurance adjusters in Oakland and Wayne County see a lot of claims, and the ones that get paid quickly are the ones with clear pictures taken before cleanup started.

Call your insurance company the same day. Most policies cover sudden water damage such as a burst pipe. Most do not cover gradual leaks or groundwater seepage, so how you describe the event matters. Be accurate.

Hours 3 to 12: Get the water out

• Move furniture, rugs, and boxes to a dry area. Put foil or blocks under furniture legs you cannot move.
• Pull up wet rugs. Carpet pad is almost never worth saving once it is soaked.
• Use a wet vac on hard floors and low-pile carpet. Mop what you can.
• Open doors and windows if the outside air is drier than the inside. In a humid Michigan July, it often is not, and you are better off with the air conditioning running.
• Run fans and a dehumidifier. Household equipment helps, but it will not dry inside walls.

What not to do

• Do not use a regular vacuum on water.
• Do not turn up the furnace to dry things faster. Heat plus moisture is exactly what mold wants.
• Do not paint or seal over a water stain until the material behind it reads dry on a meter.
• Do not assume a basement that looks dry by the next morning is dry. Concrete and drywall hold water you cannot see.

Hours 12 to 24: Decide whether you need a professional

A small, clean spill on tile that you caught immediately is a mop job. Anything else usually is not. Call a water damage restoration company if any of these apply:

• Water reached drywall, insulation, or wood framing.
• The water was there for more than a few hours, or you are not sure how long.
• The source was a sewer line, a sump pit, or outside floodwater.
• Carpet over a large area is soaked.
• You smell mustiness within a day or two.

Micronix provides same-day water damage restoration across Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne County, including Troy, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, Canton, and Grosse Pointe. We extract, dry, apply antimicrobial treatment, and give you a written scope you can hand to your adjuster.