After water damage: the first 48 hours, and what your insurer will ask for

The first 48 hours, in order

Each step leaves behind something the claim will need.

1. 1

   First hour

   Make it safe, then stop the water

   Stay out of any room where the ceiling sags or water has reached outlets, cords or the breaker panel. Shut the water off at the fixture or at the main. If the water is sewage, keep everyone out and leave the cleanup to a professional.

2. 2

   First hour

   Photograph and film everything before anything moves

   Wide shots of each room, then close-ups, then the source of the leak. Those pictures are the only record of how things looked before cleanup, and cleanup erases the evidence.

3. 3

   Same day

   Report the claim

   Call your carrier or use its app. Write down the claim number and the time you reported it. When an adjuster is assigned, write down their name, direct line and email. Ask what they need from you and where to send it.

4. 4

   Same day

   Start drying, and keep a record of it

   Most homeowners policies ask you to take reasonable steps to protect the property from further damage. Look for a section called something like “Duties After Loss” in yours. Removing standing water and starting the drying are those steps. Keep the receipt for anything you buy or hire to do it.

5. 5

   First 24 hours

   Get moisture readings, not just a look

   Drywall, carpet pad, subfloor and insulation can feel dry on the surface and still be wet inside. Readings taken with a moisture meter and written down with the date and the spot show when each material was wet and when it was dry. The EPA advises drying water-damaged materials within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth.

6. 6

   24 to 48 hours

   Start the damaged-items list and a receipts folder

   Begin the list while the items are still in front of you. Keep damaged items until your adjuster has seen them or says they can go. If something has to go sooner for health reasons, photograph it, list it, and keep a small sample when you can, such as a cut square of carpet and pad.

7. 7

   24 to 48 hours

   Keep the part that failed

   If a supply line, fitting, valve or appliance hose gave way, ask the plumber to leave the old part with you, and keep it with your claim papers. Carriers sometimes ask to see it.

What the full checklist covers

30 items your carrier will commonly ask for, in six groups, each with a tick box:

• Photos and video. The before-cleanup record, room by room.
• The cause and the timeline. What ties the damage to the event your policy covers.
• The damaged-items list. What each item is, what you paid, and what it costs to replace.
• The drying and mitigation paperwork. The invoice, the moisture readings and the drying log.
• Out-of-pocket costs. Supplies, emergency repairs and the cost of staying elsewhere.
• Your claim log. Every call, who said what, and what you were asked to send.

Plus the 7 questions to ask on your first call with the carrier, and three fill-in sheets to print: a damaged-items list, a costs log and a claim call log.

When to call a professional

• Water has soaked into drywall, insulation, carpet pad, subfloor or a crawlspace. Without a moisture meter there is no way to tell when the inside is dry.
• More than one room is wet, or water came through a ceiling to the floor below.
• The water came from a sewer or drain backup, a toilet with waste in it, or outside flooding. Restoration standards treat that water as contaminated, and the cleanup is different.
• Things are still damp after 24 to 48 hours, or the room has started to smell musty.
• You have any doubt about the ceiling or the wiring.
• Your carrier wants moisture readings and a drying log. Professional drying produces both as it goes.

If you would rather hand the drying and the paperwork to someone, Skoolie Restoration documents the loss with moisture readings and photos and works directly with your carrier. Call (253) 296-2282 day or night, or the office on (253) 414-1809.