What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Flood

While you wait for the restoration crew, use this time productively:

Document everything for insurance. Pull out your phone and take photos and video of:

• The water source (if visible)
• Standing water depth — place a ruler or tape measure in the water for reference
• Every room and hallway affected, including rooms that look dry but have wet carpet or damp walls
• Close-ups of damaged materials — baseboards, flooring, furniture, appliances, personal belongings
• Your water meter reading (useful if the cause was a supply line leak)

This documentation is the foundation of your insurance claim. Take more photos than you think you need. Shoot video narrating what you see. Timestamp everything.

Move what you can. Lift lightweight valuables, electronics, documents, and photographs above the water line or to a dry area. Aluminum foil or wood blocks under furniture legs can prevent furniture stains on wet carpet. Do not try to move heavy furniture through standing water — it's a slip hazard and can drive water deeper into carpet and pad.

Do not use your household vacuum on standing water. Home vacuums are not designed for water extraction and create a serious electrocution risk. Wet/dry shop vacs are safer but still move a tiny fraction of what professional equipment handles. Your time is better spent documenting and protecting.

Once the restoration crew arrives, the situation shifts from crisis management to controlled remediation:

Water extraction begins immediately. Truck-mounted extraction units and portable extractors start removing standing water. For a typical 2-3 room flood, the bulk of standing water is removed within 2-4 hours. Extraction continues with specialized weighted tools that pull absorbed water from carpet, pad, and hard surfaces.

Initial moisture assessment. Technicians use penetrating moisture meters, non-penetrating meters, and thermal imaging cameras to map the full extent of water migration. Water travels along paths you can't see — through wall cavities, under flooring, along framing. The moisture map determines the drying plan and equipment placement.

Emergency board-up and tarping. If a storm caused the water damage and your roof or windows are compromised, emergency tarping and board-up prevents further water intrusion. This is done simultaneously with interior extraction when both are needed.

Contents assessment. A technician catalogs damaged contents — furniture, electronics, clothing, documents — for the insurance claim. Items that can be restored are moved to a dry area. Items that are total losses are documented and set aside for adjuster inspection.

By the 12-hour mark, your home should be transitioning from active water removal to the drying phase:

Drying equipment is placed. Commercial air movers and dehumidifiers are positioned based on the moisture map. Equipment runs 24 hours a day until drying is complete (typically 3-5 days). Initial moisture readings establish baseline measurements that technicians will track daily to confirm drying progress.

Insurance adjuster is contacted. If you haven't already called your insurance carrier, do it now. Provide your claim number to the restoration company so they can coordinate directly with your adjuster. Most carriers assign a field adjuster within 24-48 hours for water damage claims.

Damaged materials are identified. As drying reveals the full picture, the technician identifies which materials can be saved and which must be removed. Carpet padding is almost always removed. Drywall saturated above 2 feet from the floor is typically cut out. Hardwood floors are evaluated for in-place drying potential.

Unsalvageable materials are removed (with documentation). Any materials that must be removed immediately for health reasons — saturated pad, contaminated insulation — are photographed, documented, and removed. All documentation feeds into the insurance claim.

In the urgency of flood response, Nashville homeowners often make these well-intentioned mistakes:

• Don't spray bleach on mold or wet surfaces. Bleach doesn't kill mold on porous surfaces like drywall and wood — it kills surface mold but leaves roots intact. It also adds moisture. Professional antimicrobial treatments are formulated for restoration work.
• Don't run your HVAC system if ductwork is wet. Wet ducts circulate mold spores and contaminated air throughout your entire home, spreading what might be a localized problem to every room. Have a technician inspect ducts before resuming HVAC operation.
• Don't try to save saturated carpet padding. Carpet padding acts like a sponge and cannot be effectively dried in place. It will harbor mold within 24-48 hours. The carpet can often be saved; the pad needs to be replaced. This is non-negotiable.
• Don't open windows to "air things out" in summer. Nashville's summer humidity is 70-80%. Opening windows introduces moisture-laden air that fights your drying equipment. Keep the house closed and let the dehumidifiers do their job.
• Don't throw away damaged items before the adjuster sees them. Your insurance adjuster needs to verify damage. Photograph everything, but keep physical items until the adjuster signs off.

Middle Tennessee storm season (March-June): If your flood is storm-related, be aware that restoration companies are handling high call volumes. Call immediately — response times extend during major weather events. Having a company's number saved in your phone before storm season matters.

Water shutoff valve locations in Nashville homes: Ranch homes and 1960s-1970s builds (common in Donelson, Hermitage, Madison) typically have the main shutoff in the crawl space near where the supply line enters. Newer 2-story construction (common in Brentwood, Mount Juliet, Spring Hill) usually has the shutoff in a utility room or garage. Historic homes (Germantown, 12 South, Lockeland Springs) may have shutoffs in basements or exterior valve boxes. Find yours before you need it.

Contaminated water from storm flooding: If your home flooded from an external source — creek overflow, storm drain backup, Cumberland River rise — assume the water is Category 3 (contaminated). Wear rubber boots and gloves if you must enter. Keep children and pets out. This water carries bacteria, chemicals, and potentially sewage.

If you're reading this during an active flood, stop reading and call (931) 499-1177. We respond 24/7, every day of the year.