What to Do in the First 24 Hours After Water Damage in Your Greater Boston Home

A burst pipe, a leaking water heater, a flooded basement. The first day decides how big the claim gets and whether mold becomes part of the story. Here is the order to do things in.

1. Stop the water

Find the shutoff. For a burst pipe or a failed supply line, that's the main water valve, usually where the line enters the house near the front foundation wall or by the water meter. For an appliance, it's the valve behind the washer, dishwasher, or water heater. If you can't find it in two minutes, call a plumber while you keep going with the steps below.

2. Kill the power to wet areas

If water is near outlets, a panel, or a finished basement with electronics, turn off the breakers for that area before you step in. A flooded basement with the power on is not a cleanup job, it's an emergency room visit.

3. Take photos before you touch anything

This is the step almost everyone skips, and it's the one that decides how much your insurance company pays. Photograph the source, the standing water, every wet surface, and anything damaged: flooring, drywall, cabinets, furniture, stored items. Get wide shots and close-ups. Take a short video walking through the space. Do not start moving things or tearing out carpet until you've documented it.

4. Call a restoration contractor, then your insurance company

Most homeowner policies require you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. That means drying starts now, not after the adjuster visits. A restoration contractor who does insurance work will document moisture readings from day one and write the scope in the format your carrier uses, which is what keeps the claim from coming back short. Then call your insurer to open the claim. Give them the date, the cause, and tell them a licensed contractor is already on site.

5. Get the water out and the air moving

Extraction, then drying. Towels and a shop vac help in the first hour, but wet drywall, subfloor, and insulation need commercial air movers and dehumidifiers to dry in time. The clock that matters is 24 to 48 hours. After that, mold starts growing in wet building materials, and a water job becomes a mold job.

6. Don't do these

• Don't run a household fan over sewage or gray water. That spreads contamination.
• Don't rip out carpet or drywall before it's photographed. You'll lose the proof.
• Don't accept a scope that only covers what's visible. Water travels inside walls and under floors, and hidden damage is where claims get underpaid.
• Don't wait for the adjuster to start drying. Delays cost you coverage, not the insurer.

A note for Greater Boston and South Shore homeowners

Our housing stock is old. Triple-deckers, brownstones, and wood-frame condos have older plumbing and finished basements below grade. In winter, the most common call we get is a frozen pipe or an ice dam that turns into a ceiling leak. If you see water where it shouldn't be in January, treat it as urgent even if it's a drip. It rarely stays a drip.