Who to Call for Water Damage (and in What Order)

Who do I call for water damage?

Water damage usually takes two calls: one to stop the source and one to fix what the water did. A plumber, roofer or utility handles the source. A water damage restoration company handles the water in your floors, walls and ceilings.

Specific situations have their own guides: Water heater leaking: what to do right now, Water leaking from the ceiling: what to do and Basement flooded? What to do first.

In what order should I make the calls?

Safety, then the source, then the damage, then the paperwork.

1. 911 if water is rising, someone is hurt, or you smell gas. Leave the house first.
2. Shut off the water. Close the main water valve or the valve at the fixture. Stay out of rooms where water touches outlets, cords or the electrical panel.
3. Call whoever fixes the source: a plumber, roofer, HVAC technician, or your water utility if the leak is at the meter or the street.
4. Call a water damage restoration company. The sooner the water comes out, the less has to be torn out. The EPA advises drying water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to help prevent mold growth.
5. Report the loss to your insurer or agent. Take photos before cleanup and keep every receipt.

What should I do while I wait for help?

Keep the damage from spreading and keep a record. A few minutes of work here makes the dry-out faster and the paperwork easier.

• Move furniture, rugs, electronics, papers and photos off wet floors and out of the room.
• Put foil or wood blocks under furniture legs you cannot move, so stains do not wick into the carpet.
• Mop or wet-vacuum standing water if it is clean water and nowhere near electricity.
• Open interior doors to let air move, but leave wet drywall and carpet in place for now.
• Photograph every wet room, the source, and damaged belongings before anything is thrown out.
• Stay out of sewage water. Wash your hands if you touch anything it reached.

Do not run the household vacuum on wet carpet, and do not use fans in a room with sewage or visible mold. That can spread contamination.

What should I have ready when I call?

Have the basics handy so the company can plan the visit and bring the right equipment.

• What happened and when you first noticed it
• Whatever you know about the source, and if the water is stopped
• Which rooms and floors are wet, and what is on the floor: carpet, hardwood, tile, laminate
• If the water is clean, from a drain or toilet, or from outside
• Your address, ZIP code and the best number to reach you
• Your insurance company name, if you plan to report the loss

What does a water damage restoration company do?

A restoration company removes the water, dries the structure to a measured standard, and repairs what had to come out. The first part is often called water mitigation. What is water mitigation?

• Extracts standing water from floors, carpet and pad
• Takes moisture readings to find how far the water spread, including inside walls
• Removes wet drywall, insulation and flooring that cannot be dried in place
• Sets dehumidifiers and air movers and checks readings until the structure is dry
• Cleans and sanitizes, which matters most after a sewage backup
• Documents the damage with photos, readings and a written estimate
• Rebuilds: drywall, insulation, flooring, trim and paint

Not every company does the last step. Many dry the house and leave you to find a separate contractor for repairs. We do both with one crew, from the first call to the finished room. Rebuild and repair

Who do I call for water damage in a condo or townhome?

Stop the water, then call your association or property manager along with the trades. Shared walls, stacked units and common pipes mean more than one owner and more than one policy may be involved.

• If the water comes from the unit above, knock on the neighbor's door and call the association.
• If it comes from a common pipe, roof or wall, the association usually arranges that repair.
• Inside your unit, call a water damage company to start the dry-out and document what got wet.
• Report the loss to your own insurer, and ask the association which master policy applies.

Your association's governing documents set who is responsible for which parts of the building, so read them or ask the manager before repairs start.

Should I call my insurance company first?

Stop the damage first, then call your insurer. Most homeowners policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent more damage, and waiting days to start the dry-out can make the loss bigger.

You choose who you hire. Your insurer decides what your policy covers. A restoration contractor can document the damage, write the estimate, send the documentation to your insurer and meet your adjuster on site. In Virginia, only a public adjuster licensed by the Bureau of Insurance can negotiate a claim on your behalf for pay. Does homeowners insurance cover water damage? and Does homeowners insurance cover burst pipes?

How do I choose a water damage restoration company?

Ask a few direct questions on the phone. The answers tell you who will be in your house, how they decide the job is done, and who rebuilds afterward.

Questions to ask

• Do you rebuild too, or will I need a second contractor after the dry-out?
• Do you have a Virginia contractor license? Check it on the DPOR license lookup.
• Are you insured, and can you send a certificate of insurance?
• Will you take moisture readings each visit and show them to me?
• What documentation will you give me and my insurer?
• Who works the job, and what training do they have?
• Are you local, and who answers the phone at night?

Red flags

• Pressure to sign before anyone has looked at the damage
• A promise that insurance will pay for everything
• An offer to negotiate or settle your claim for you
• Paperwork that hands over your insurance payment, signed on the spot without time to read it
• No physical address or local phone number, or no license number
• No plan for how they will measure when the house is dry

DPOR warns homeowners about unlicensed contractors after storms and says most contracting work over $1,000 needs a state license. Ask us the same questions.

Who do I call for water damage in Northern Virginia?

Call us at (703) 783-7855, any time. We answer 24/7 and serve homes across Fairfax and Loudoun counties.

• One crew, first call to finished room. The people who dry your home rebuild it.
• Owned by a builder. Curtis Berg is a Navy Seabees veteran with 42 years as a journeyman builder.
• We work for you. You hire us and we bill you. We document everything your adjuster needs and meet them on site.

Water damage restoration and sewage backup cleanup

Sources

• Virginia DPOR: Beware of unlicensed contractors following storms
• Virginia State Corporation Commission: Adjuster licensing
• Code of Virginia § 38.2-1845.2: Public adjuster license required
• U.S. EPA: A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home