What to do in the first hour when your basement floods
Step-by-step guide. The first 60 minutes determine whether you're spending $3,000 or $25,000.
First 10 minutes: stop the source
If it's an inside source (broken supply line, water heater, dishwasher hose), shut your main water valve. Most homes have it where the line enters the building.
If it's an outside source (storm runoff, sewer backup, groundwater), shutting your water won't help — the source is external. Move to step two.
If it's sewer backup (you'll know — it'll smell), don't touch the water. Call now. Sewage is biohazard and you need PPE before any cleanup.
Next 30 minutes: get help dispatched and start documentation
Call us. Our dispatch is staffed 24/7 and an IICRC-certified crew is heading your way within 60 minutes for active water emergencies.
Take photos of EVERYTHING before you move anything. Wide shots, then close-ups. Photos are insurance-claim gold.
Don't run the HVAC system if water is in unfinished spaces — you'll spread mold spores and humidity through the whole house.
While you wait: a few things you can do safely
If it's clean water (Category 1) and shallow, you can start moving valuables and electronics out of the affected area.
Don't try to extract water yourself with a shop vac — household vacs aren't sealed for water and you'll burn out the motor while only removing surface water. Truck-mounted extraction does in 30 minutes what a shop vac couldn't do in 8 hours.
Don't use space heaters or fans to 'help dry it out' — that just spreads humidity around. Wait for the proper drying setup.
What happens when our crew arrives
S500 assessment: moisture mapping, category determination, class of loss, scope of work. Takes about 20-30 minutes.
Extraction starts immediately. Most homes have water out within the first 90 minutes of arrival.
Drying setup: dehumidifiers and air movers placed per psychrometric calculation. Equipment runs continuously for 3-7 days.
Daily moisture monitoring. We come back every day until the structure hits target dryness, log readings, and adjust equipment.