In the first hour of a water loss in Tampa, the order matters. Keep people safe first, then stop the water if it is safe to do so, then record the loss and move what can be moved. Call the line on (833) 490-5225, which is answered 24/7. This guide sets out the steps in order, with the things a homeowner should not do, so the first hour does as little damage as possible.
Key takeaways
- Safety comes first: keep away from standing water near outlets, panels and appliances
- Turn off the power to the wet area at the panel only if the panel is dry and reachable without standing in water
- Shut off the water at its source or at the main if you can do so safely
- Photograph the water line, the entry and the rooms before anything is moved or cleaned
- Move the most valuable items and the items on the floor up and out of the wet area
- Call the line and keep a written note of the time, the place and what you saw
What is the very first thing to do?
Keep people and pets out of the water, and do not touch any electrical equipment that is standing in water. Safety comes before the water.
The first thing is to stop anyone stepping into standing water. Water near an outlet, a switch, a panel, a plugged-in appliance or a light fixture is an electrical hazard, and it can be lethal. If you are standing in water and any electrical equipment is nearby, step back to a dry area and do not touch anything that is plugged in.
Children and pets should be moved away from the wet area and kept away from it until the water is removed. Anyone with a medical condition that makes them vulnerable should also stay out of the area.
How do I turn off the power safely?
Turn the power off at the panel only if the panel is dry and you can reach it without standing in water. If you cannot, leave the panel alone and call the electric utility or a licensed electrician.
The safest step is the one you can take without any risk. If the panel is in a dry area and you can switch off the circuits for the wet rooms from there, do so. If the panel is in the water, or the wet area is close to it, do not go near it. Leave the house by a dry route, and call the electric utility or a licensed electrician to make the panel safe.
Do not use a household appliance to check whether a circuit is live, and do not switch on any equipment in the wet area until a qualified person has checked it.
How do I stop the water?
Shut off the source at its valve, the appliance's supply, or the main shut-off if the source is not clear. Do this only if it is safe, and never reach into standing water to do it.
A toilet, a sink or an appliance usually has a supply valve close to it, and turning that valve off stops the flow from that fixture. If the water comes from a pipe that you cannot isolate, the main shut-off stops the whole supply to the house. The main is usually where the service line enters the building, and the line can talk you through finding it on the call.
A water heater should be shut off at its controls and its supply only if you can do so without touching hot water or working in standing water. If you are not sure, leave it and tell the crew.
What should I photograph and record?
Photograph the water line on the walls, the entry, the rooms and any damaged items, before anything is moved. Write down the time you found the water and where it was seen.
Photographs taken in the first hour are the best evidence you will have. The water line is most useful when it is shown against a fixed object, such as a door frame or a cabinet, so the depth can be judged. Photograph the entry, such as a door, a window or a pipe, and each room from the same spot if you can.
Write down the time you found the water, how it was seen, what you did and who you called. Keep the note with the photographs, since it will be needed for the insurer and for the crew.
What should I move, and what should I leave?
Move the valuable items and the items on the floor out of the wet area, where that is safe. Leave the building materials and the wet structure as they are until the crew has read them.
Items on the floor, such as boxes, shoes, rugs and papers, wick water up quickly, and they should be moved to a dry place first. Valuable documents, photographs and electronics should be moved up and out of the wet area. Do not stack wet paper or photographs, and do not run a fan or a heater over them.
Leave the wet walls, floors and ceilings as they are. Do not pull up carpet, cut drywall or open a cabinet until the readings have been taken, because the first openings change the path the water is taking and the record of where it was.
What should I not do?
Do not use a household vacuum, a fan or a heater on standing water, do not start drying with an open window and do not mix chemicals to clean the water.
A household vacuum is not designed for water and can be dangerous. A fan or a heater in a wet room can spread water and cause a fire or a shock. Opening a window in humid weather can bring moisture in. Do not mix bleach or any other chemical to clean the water, since the mixture can give off fumes.
Do not switch on electrical equipment that was in the water, and do not plug it in to test it. Leave the equipment off until a qualified person has checked it.
Who should I call, and in what order?
Call the line on (833) 490-5225, which is answered 24/7. If the building is shared, tell the owner or manager as well. Call your insurer promptly and in writing, and keep a note of each call.
The line is the first call for the water work. The caller is asked the questions the local company needs before any work is agreed, such as the address, the floor, where the water is and whether it is still running. If you rent the home or the unit, tell the owner or the manager as well, because access and the building's own systems may be involved.
Call your insurer promptly, and follow up in writing. The insurer will want to know the time of the loss, the steps you have taken to stop further damage and the photographs and notes you have kept.
What happens after the first hour?
The crew reads the water, plans the drying, and gives you a written record. You keep the photographs, the notes and the invoices, and you can ask any question about the work at any time.
The first visit is planned from the description you gave on the call. The crew checks the power and the water, then reads the wet areas with meters and explains the plan for the water and the drying. A written record of the readings and the work is given to you, and it becomes part of your file for the insurer.
Ask the crew to explain anything you do not understand. The work is between you and the local company that carries it out, and the disclaimer page explains the arrangement in full.
What should I do the next morning?
The next morning is for the record, the readings and the plan. Check the house, confirm the crew's plan, keep the notes up to date and make a list of the items that were lost.
Once the first hour is past, the homeowner can take stock. Walk the house with the notes and the photographs, and check that the power and the water are off where they should be. Confirm the crew's plan for the day, and ask any question about the readings that is not clear. Keep the notes up to date, because the time of each step matters to the insurer.
Make a list of the items that were damaged or lost, room by room, with a note of each item's condition. The list is easier to make while the memory is fresh, and it is the basis of the contents part of any claim. Photograph each item where it sits before it is moved.
When should I expect to hear from the insurer?
The insurer's own process sets the timing of its contact, and the homeowner should ask for the claim number and the adjuster's name at the first contact. Keep both with the notes.
A homeowner who has reported a loss should note the claim number, the adjuster's name and the contact details as soon as they are given. Those details are needed for every later call, and they help the homeowner keep the record in order. The insurer's own process decides the timing, and this guide does not set out a timeline for it.
The water work and the claim run side by side. The water work stops the damage and dries the building, and the claim is decided under the policy. A homeowner who keeps both in order will find the next steps easier to follow.
Frequently asked questions
What if I cannot find the main shut-off?
Call the line. The caller can be talked through finding it, and the crew can show you on the visit.
Should I unplug the TV and the computer?
If it is safe to reach them and they are not standing in water, unplug them and leave them off. Do not switch them on to check them.
Can I start mopping the water?
A little mopping of a small spill on a hard floor is fine. Standing water, carpet and anything near electrical equipment should be left for the crew, because a household mop spreads contamination and risks shock.
Should I call my insurer before the water company?
Both calls matter, and they can be made close together. Stopping the water and the damage comes first, and the insurer should be told promptly and in writing.
What if the water is sewage?
Keep everyone out of the water and do not touch it. Tell the line that the water came from a drain or looks like sewage, so the crew brings the right protective equipment and plan.
Is the first-hour work guaranteed?
The work is between the homeowner and the local company that carries it out, and this line does not warrant any work performed. The disclaimer page explains the arrangement in full.
Sources
This guide is general information for Hillsborough County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.