The first 24 hours after a water damage event are critical. Here's exactly what to do — and what not to do — to minimize damage and protect your home.
Stop the Source of Water First
Before anything else, identify and stop the source of the water if it's safe to do so. A burst pipe under the kitchen sink — turn off the under-sink shutoff valve or the main water supply to your home. An overflowing toilet — close the shutoff valve behind the toilet. For roof leaks or storm water intrusion, there's no immediate shutoff, but you can place buckets and move valuables away from the affected area. Stopping the source prevents additional water from entering the property while you address what's already there.
Protect Yourself — Electrical Hazards Are Real
Water and electricity are a serious combination. If water is near electrical outlets, panels, or appliances — or if you're not sure — switch off the circuit breakers for the affected area at your main panel. Don't wade through standing water to reach outlets or appliances. If your electrical panel is in the flooded area and you can't safely reach it, call BC Hydro before entering. This is not an area to cut corners.
Document Everything Before Touching It
Before you start moving anything or mopping up, spend five minutes photographing and videoing everything. Wide shots of each room, close-ups of the water source, water levels, and visible damage to floors, walls, and contents. This documentation is essential for your insurance claim — and it takes far less time to capture now than to try to recreate later when everything is already cleaned up.
Call Your Insurance Company
Call your insurer as soon as possible — most policies require prompt notification of water damage events. Get a claim number. Ask what documentation they'll need and whether they have a preferred restoration contractor. You're not obligated to use their preferred contractor, but knowing their requirements helps. Keep notes of every conversation: date, time, and name of the person you spoke with.
Call a Professional Water Damage Restoration Company
This is the step where too many Burnaby homeowners wait too long. The longer water sits in structural materials — drywall, insulation, framing, subfloor — the more damage develops and the higher the risk of mould. Consumer-grade extraction equipment simply isn't powerful enough to remove moisture from structural assemblies. A professional restoration team arrives with truck-mounted extractors, LGR dehumidifiers, and calibrated moisture meters that do the job completely.
What Not to Do After Water Damage
Don't use a regular household fan and call it done — fans move surface air and don't extract moisture from structural materials. Don't run a portable dehumidifier in an enclosed space without addressing standing water first — it'll work endlessly and never actually dry the structure. Don't paint over water stains without verifying the underlying material is dry — you'll trap moisture and guarantee mould. And don't wait to call. Every hour matters. Mould development can begin within 24 to 48 hours of a water event in the right conditions.
Dealing with water damage in Burnaby?
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