Water where it should not be? Start here.
Water Damage Wise connects homeowners with independent restoration contractors for two kinds of work: drying out a house after a leak or storm, and removing mold. We explain what to do first and put you through to someone local.
Now covering Corpus Christi, TX. More cities open one at a time.
For homeowners. You will be connected with an independent local contractor. Calls may be recorded.
Before anyone arrives
- Shut off the water. Use the valve behind the fixture, or the main shutoff for the house. If it will not stop, a plumber comes first.
- Keep away from wet wiring. Switch off a circuit only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
- Record it. Photos and video of each room, the source and the water line, before you move or throw away anything.
- Call your insurer to open a claim, and keep notes of who you spoke to and when.
Two services, two different moments
Right now
Water damage restoration
Getting standing water out, then drying walls, floors and cavities with dehumidifiers and air movers, and logging moisture readings until the materials test dry. EPA advises drying within 24 to 48 hours to keep mold from starting.
Days or weeks later
Mold remediation
EPA puts the do-it-yourself limit at about 10 square feet. Past that, the job calls for containment and filtered air, and many states license the people who do it. Fixing the moisture matters as much as the cleanup.
Which policy pays depends on where the water came from
Water that escapes suddenly inside the house, such as a split supply line or a failed water heater, is usually a homeowners claim. A slow leak that went unnoticed for months usually is not. Water rising from outside is flood, which a homeowners policy does not cover anywhere in the country.
This line is for homeowners
The contractors behind this number are hired by the people who own the house. If you rent, the repair is your landlord’s to arrange, and calling here will not speed it up. What renters can do instead →
How a call works
You describe what happened and where the house is. The call goes to an independent contractor who serves that area. They are the ones who look at the damage, give you a written scope and price, and do the work if you hire them. Water Damage Wise does none of that; it is a referral line.
More on what happens when you call → · How to check a contractor →
For homeowners. You will be connected with an independent local contractor. Calls may be recorded.