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Property Playbook

Water in the house

What to do when a leak, overflow, wet ceiling, wet flooring, appliance leak, pipe burst, roof leak, or HVAC drain leak puts water inside the home.

Best for: Owners and landlords who need a fast path from safety and proof to cost range, dry-out timing, claim-or-cash decision, and restoration bid check.

If there is sewage, standing floodwater, electrical risk, gas smell, sagging ceiling, structural movement, unsafe air, or active water you cannot stop, get qualified help first.

Build decision packet Use Start Here

Plain English

What do I do first?

This page puts the steps in order so you do not need to know the expert words before you start.

Start here: Start with safety, proof, and source control before cost. Photos, videos, dates, source notes, receipts, and moisture proof matter before cleanup changes evidence.

Quote: The price and work list someone gave you.
Scope: What is included and what is not included.
Proof: Photos, receipts, readings, reports, and notes.
Deductible: The money you may pay before insurance helps.
Cleanup: Stop, dry, remove, clean, or make safe.
Rebuild: Put the home back together: walls, floors, cabinets, paint, and fixtures.

First move

Start with safety, proof, and source control before cost. Photos, videos, dates, source notes, receipts, and moisture proof matter before cleanup changes evidence.

Mistake check

  • Do not sign a vague emergency authorization before understanding what you personally owe.
  • Do not compare restoration bids unless equipment days, demolition, containment, moisture readings, and rebuild exclusions are visible.
  • Do not assume homeowners insurance covers every water event. Source and policy language matter.

What people forget

  • Wet insulation, cabinets, flooring, and contents can matter more than the first extraction price.
  • Mold risk is about moisture and time, not just visible spots.
  • Flood, sewer backup, roof leak, pipe burst, HVAC drain leak, and slow leak can be treated differently.

What makes it go bad

  • Cleanup starts before photos, source proof, or moisture readings are saved.
  • Mitigation and rebuild are bundled into one vague scope.
  • A near-deductible or uncertain claim decision is made before the range is visible.

Step-by-step

  1. Step 1

    Safety stop

    Decide whether the space is safe to enter. Do not treat sewage, floodwater, electrical risk, gas smell, sagging ceilings, or unsafe air as calculator problems.

  2. Step 2

    First 24-hour checklist

    Photograph the source, rooms, materials, contents, receipts, and temporary mitigation before cleanup changes the proof.

  3. Step 3

    Estimate exposure and drying

    Run the water damage cost calculator and dry-out timeline estimator so the restoration bid has context.

  4. Step 4

    Decide claim, cash, and bid questions

    Use the claim-or-cash calculator and restoration bid checker before signing or filing.

Documents to collect

  • Before-cleanup photos
  • Source note
  • Moisture readings
  • Moisture map
  • Mitigation authorization
  • Equipment log
  • Deductible and policy documents
  • Rebuild estimate

Packet prompt

Create a packet with water source, safety concerns, before-cleanup photos, moisture readings, mitigation scope, deductible, claim questions, restoration bid gaps, and rebuild plan.

Open the decision packet