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What to Do Before a Water Damage Restoration Visit

A water damage restoration visit goes better when the house is ready for it, and a little preparation can save a surprising amount of time. The team needs to reach the affected area, to see the damage as it is, and to understand what happened before they arrived. That is easier when the way is clear, when the history is written down, and when the belongings that can be moved have already been moved. None of this is difficult, and none of it requires any special skill.

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This guide covers what to do before a visit, in general terms: clearing access, noting when the water started and where it came from, moving belongings away from water if it is safe to do so, and knowing what to leave alone. It also covers what not to do, because a well-meaning step taken before the visit can sometimes make the inspection harder. A torch kept in an obvious place, with working batteries, is worth more than a phone with a dying battery when the house is dark and the water is spreading.

Clear access to the affected area

The team needs to reach the affected rooms, the water heater or appliance that caused the loss, and the places water hides, such as behind skirting boards and under flooring. Clear a path to the affected area, and move furniture, boxes, and clutter out of the way so that the team can work. If the affected room is full of belongings, move what you can to a dry room, and leave a clear space around the walls so that the team can check the skirting boards and the base of the walls. A clear path is not only faster; it is safer, because a cluttered wet floor is easy to slip on.

It also helps to clear access to the main shut-off valve and to the electrical panel, if they are in dry areas, because the team may need to check them. If there is a locked gate, a locked door, or a pet that needs to be kept out of the way, sort that out before the visit. A short note on the door, telling the team which rooms are affected and where the shut-off is, can save time as well. The aim is to let the team start work as soon as they arrive, rather than spending the first hour clearing a way in.

Note when the water started and where it came from

Before the visit, write down what you noticed and when. When did the water first appear? Where did it come from, if you know? Which rooms are affected, and how far has the water spread? What have you already done: did you shut off the water, move belongings, take photographs? A short note with the dates and times is more useful than a long account from memory, and it helps the team understand what happened before they arrived.

It also helps to note anything that has changed since the water first appeared: has the water stopped, is it still spreading, has the stain grown, has a smell appeared? If the water came from a particular appliance or fixture, note which one, and note whether it is still running or has been shut off. If you have photographs, have them ready to show the team. The history you give is the starting point for the inspection, and a clear history makes the inspection faster and more accurate.

What to Do Before a Water Damage Restoration Visit — Texas water damage guide

Move belongings away from water if it is safe to do so

If you can move belongings away from the water safely, do so before the visit. Start with the things water damages fastest and that are easiest to carry: papers, photographs, books, rugs, cushions, electronics, and clothing. Lift furniture legs onto blocks if you have them, and move smaller items to a higher shelf or into a dry room. Work in dry areas and do not carry heavy furniture through standing water, because a wet floor is slippery and a waterlogged item is heavier than it looks.

Some things should be left exactly where they are. Do not move a large appliance that is standing in water, and do not unplug anything that is wet or sitting in water. Do not try to lift a waterlogged sofa or a saturated mattress on your own. If an item is already saturated and heavy, leave it; the water will have done its damage, and moving it risks injury or a worse mess. Take photographs of the damage as you go, from a dry place, because a clear record is useful for the team and for any insurance conversation.

What to leave alone

There are several things worth leaving alone before the visit. Do not pull up flooring, cut into walls, or remove skirting boards to find the water, because the pattern of the damage tells the team where the water has been, and stripping things out early can hide that pattern. Do not try to clean up sewage or floodwater yourself, and do not use household cleaning products on water that may be contaminated. Do not use a household vacuum on standing water, and do not switch the electricity back on if it has been turned off.

It also helps to leave the affected rooms as undisturbed as you can, so that the team can read the damage as it is. If you are in the San Antonio area, water damage restoration in San Antonio follows the same preparation steps as anywhere else in Texas. For the work itself, water damage restoration is the service that covers the job, and emergency water removal is the stage that takes the standing water out once the team arrives. A room that has been tidied up before the visit can hide the pattern of the damage, and the pattern is the evidence the team works from.

On the day of the visit

On the day of the visit, the team will need to reach the affected area, to see the damage as it is, and to understand what happened before they arrived. That is easier when the way is clear, when the history is written down, and when the belongings that can be moved have already been moved. Clear a path to the affected rooms, and move furniture, boxes, and clutter out of the way so that the team can work. If the affected room is full of belongings, move what you can to a dry room, and leave a clear space around the walls so that the team can check the skirting boards and the base of the walls. A clear path is not only faster; it is safer, because a cluttered wet floor is easy to slip on, and a team that can move freely can work more carefully.

It also helps to be available to answer questions, and to have your notes and photographs ready to show the team. The team will ask what you noticed and when, and your notes are the starting point for the inspection. If there is a locked gate, a locked door, or a pet that needs to be kept out of the way, sort that out before the visit, so that the team can start work as soon as they arrive. A short note on the door, telling the team which rooms are affected and where the shut-off is, can save time as well. The aim is to let the team start work as soon as they arrive, rather than spending the first hour clearing a way in, and a little preparation before the visit makes the visit itself go better for everyone.

Key Takeaways

The team needs to reach the affected rooms, the water heater or appliance that caused the loss, and the places water hides, such as behind skirting boards and under flooring.
Before the visit, write down what you noticed and when.
If you can move belongings away from the water safely, do so before the visit.
There are several things worth leaving alone before the visit.
On the day of the visit, the team will need to reach the affected area, to see the damage as it is, and to understand what happened before they arrived.

Your Next Step

If this guide matches what you found at home, the next step is a visit — not a guess. Call and describe what you found, and the visit is arranged from what you describe. The Water Damage Restoration page explains what that service covers, and the flood damage cleanup page explains how flood water is removed and the rooms are dried.

Do not step in standing water near electrical outlets or appliances while you wait, and if water is still coming in, turn off the shut-off valve for that fixture where you can reach it safely.

Keep the guides on this site bookmarked: the first guide, the signs guide, and the preparation guide cover the checks worth repeating — after moving in, and after bringing used appliances home.

Water damage help is available across Texas. See water damage restoration in Kingsway, TX for one local example, or find your town on the service areas page.