What to Do in the First 24 Hours After Water Damage

The First 24 Hours Are Critical

When water damage strikes your Minneapolis home — whether from a burst pipe, appliance failure, basement flood, or storm damage — the actions you take in the first 24 hours have a significant impact on the scope of damage, the cost of restoration, and whether mold becomes part of the problem.

Water damage escalates quickly. Materials that are merely damp after a few hours become saturated and begin degrading after a day. Mold can begin colonizing wet surfaces within 48 to 72 hours. The faster you act, the more of your property and belongings can be saved. This guide walks you through what to do, step by step.

Step 1: Ensure Your Safety

Before you do anything else, assess whether it is safe to be in the affected area:

• Electrical hazards: If water is near electrical outlets, appliances, or the breaker panel, do not walk through it. If you can safely reach the breaker panel without stepping in water, turn off the circuits to affected areas. If the panel is submerged or inaccessible, call your electrical utility company and ask them to shut off power at the meter.
• Structural concerns: If ceilings are sagging from water weight, stay out of the room. A saturated ceiling can collapse without warning. Do not walk under bulging or discolored ceiling areas.
• Contaminated water: If the water source is a sewage backup, toilet overflow, or external flood water, do not wade through it without protective boots and gloves. Sewage water contains bacteria and parasites that cause serious illness.
• Gas leaks: If you smell natural gas, leave the home immediately and call your gas utility from outside.

Step 2: Stop the Water Source

If the water is coming from a plumbing source that you can control:

• Burst pipe or supply line: Shut off the main water valve. In most Minneapolis homes, this is located near the water meter in the basement, usually along the front wall of the house facing the street.
• Appliance failure: Turn off the appliance and close the supply valves behind or beneath it. Washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerator ice makers all have individual shutoff valves.
• Toilet overflow: Turn the shutoff valve at the base of the toilet clockwise. If the valve is stuck, lift the tank lid and raise the float mechanism to stop water flow.
• Water heater: Close the cold water inlet valve on top of the tank. If you cannot reach the valve safely, shut off the main water supply.

If the source is external — groundwater, storm water, or municipal system backup — you cannot stop it yourself. Call Priority Water Damage Minneapolis at (855) 321-3329 for emergency help.

Step 3: Call for Professional Help

For anything beyond a minor spill, professional water extraction and drying is strongly recommended. Household towels and shop vacuums cannot remove the volume of water or achieve the drying performance needed to prevent secondary damage and mold.

When you call a professional restoration company:

• Describe the source and approximate amount of water
• Mention whether the water source has been stopped
• Note any safety concerns (electrical, sewage, structural)
• Provide your address so a crew can be dispatched

Priority Water Damage Minneapolis responds 24/7 with emergency water extraction crews. We aim to respond as fast as possible.

Step 4: Call Your Insurance Company

Report the damage to your insurance company as soon as possible. Key points to remember:

• Do not wait for the adjuster before starting cleanup. Your policy requires you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. Emergency mitigation (stopping the water source, extracting standing water) should begin immediately.
• Document everything. Take photos and video of all damage before cleanup begins. Photograph the water source, standing water levels, damaged materials, and affected belongings.
• Save damaged materials. Do not throw away damaged items until your adjuster has seen them or your insurance company says it is acceptable. If items must be removed for health or safety reasons (such as sewage-contaminated materials), photograph them thoroughly first.
• Keep receipts. Save receipts for any out-of-pocket expenses related to the damage, including emergency supplies, hotel stays if you need to temporarily relocate, and any cleanup expenses.

For a detailed walkthrough of the insurance claims process, read our water damage insurance claims guide.

Step 5: Protect Your Belongings

While waiting for professional help to arrive, you can take steps to protect your personal property:

• Move furniture off wet carpet. Place aluminum foil or plastic sheeting under furniture legs to prevent staining and wood damage. If furniture is too heavy to lift, slide foil underneath.
• Remove small valuables. Photographs, documents, electronics, and sentimental items should be moved to a dry area. If documents are wet, stand them upright and allow air to circulate around them; do not try to separate stuck pages.
• Lift drapes and curtains. Pin or drape them over curtain rods to keep them out of standing water.
• Remove area rugs. Wet rugs will bleed dye onto flooring beneath them. Remove them to a dry area if possible.

Step 6: What NOT to Do

Common mistakes can make water damage worse or create additional hazards:

• Do not use a household vacuum on standing water. Household vacuums are not rated for water. Using one creates electrocution risk and will destroy the vacuum.
• Do not turn on ceiling fans or the HVAC system if ceiling water damage is present. A water-damaged ceiling fan motor can fail, and running the HVAC can distribute contaminated air and moisture through the ductwork.
• Do not use bleach to prevent mold. Bleach does not kill mold on porous surfaces and the fumes can be harmful in enclosed, damp spaces. Professional antimicrobial treatments are far more effective.
• Do not lift tacked-down carpet. Carpet that is tacked at the edges and wet should be left in place for professional extraction. Lifting it can cause it to shrink, making reinstallation impossible.
• Do not enter rooms with standing water if the electricity is on in that area. Water and electricity are a deadly combination.

Step 7: Begin Basic Cleanup (If Safe)

If the water is clean (from a supply line or appliance — not sewage or flood water) and the electricity is off in affected areas, you can begin basic cleanup while waiting for professional help:

• Mop and blot excess water from hard floors
• Open doors between rooms to increase air circulation
• Open closet doors and cabinet doors in affected areas
• If weather permits and air is dry, open windows to increase ventilation
• Place towels at the boundary of wet areas to contain spread

Minneapolis-Specific Considerations

Water damage in Minneapolis involves some factors that homeowners in other climates may not face:

• Winter pipe bursts: If a pipe freezes and bursts, the main water shutoff valve is your first priority. Know where yours is located before an emergency. In most Minneapolis homes, it is in the basement near the front wall.
• Cold-weather drying challenges: Professional drying during winter months takes longer because opening windows for ventilation is not practical when outdoor temperatures are below zero. Your restoration team will use closed-system drying strategies with additional dehumidification equipment to compensate.
• Ice dam water entry: If water is entering through the ceiling from an ice dam, place buckets to catch dripping water and move furniture away from the affected area. Do not attempt to remove the ice dam from the roof yourself — this can cause additional roof damage and is dangerous on icy surfaces.
• Spring flooding: During April and May snowmelt, check your sump pump regularly. If it fails and your basement floods, the same steps in this guide apply: ensure safety, shut off electricity to the basement, and call for professional extraction.

What Happens When Professionals Arrive

When the Priority Water Damage Minneapolis crew arrives, here is what to expect:

1. Assessment: We inspect the damage, identify the water source and category, and map moisture levels using thermal imaging and moisture meters.
2. Extraction: Commercial equipment removes standing water far more quickly and completely than any consumer product.
3. Drying equipment setup: Dehumidifiers and air movers are placed strategically to begin structural drying.
4. Documentation: We photograph all damage and take moisture readings for insurance documentation.
5. Ongoing monitoring: We return daily to check moisture levels and adjust equipment until drying targets are met.

Frequently Asked Questions