The first hour after storm water reaches a Snellville house is about safety, then the source, then the record. Do not go into a flooded room with the power on, shut off the water where it is safe to reach, photograph everything before it moves and then call (833) 490-5225 and say what you know. The rest of the first day is about keeping the water from spreading and getting the room ready for the crew.
Key takeaways
- Safety comes before the cleanup: the power and the standing water are the first checks.
- A storm is often still going when the water is found, so the first steps have to work while it rains.
- Photographs and a written time line are made before anything is moved or thrown away.
- The first night is about the moisture that keeps working after the water is gone.
Before you go in: the storm and the power
Do not enter standing water in the dark or while the rain is still falling, and do not switch anything on in a room that is wet.
The most common mistake in a summer storm is walking into the garage to see what has happened. The water may be shallow, but it can sit over an outlet, a garage door opener, a freezer or the panel, and the first person in is the one who finds out. The safe order is to look from the doorway, switch off nothing that is in the water, and leave the panel alone if it is wet.
Lightning is a separate reason to wait. A storm that is still overhead makes the yard, the carport and the metal of a shed unsafe, and a person standing in a driveway pool is more exposed than they think. Wait for the rain to stop and the sky to clear before going out to read the water line or the drain.
- Look from a dry doorway before walking into any wet room
- Do not switch on or off anything that is standing in water
- Do not touch the panel if it is wet or if the room it sits in is flooded
- Stay out of the yard while lightning is still in the area
Stop the water that is still coming in
Find the source, close what can be closed, and move the water away from the house where the ground allows.
The source decides the rest of the day. Water coming in under a garage door needs the door held or blocked, water from a crawl-space vent needs the vent covered if it can be reached, and water over a patio door needs the door shut. A drain that is backing up needs the lowest opening blocked, and a supply line that has burst needs the main closed.
Where the water is inside, the homeowner closes the valve on the line it came from if it is safe to reach. If the source is outside, such as a yard that is pouring toward the door, the aim is to keep the water off the house and not to chase it across the lot. The crew handles the rest once it arrives.
- Block or hold the garage door where the water is coming under it
- Close the patio door and cover a crawl-space vent that is within reach
- Close the valve on a supply line that has failed, or the main if no local valve exists
- Keep sandbags or boards at a low doorway if they can be placed safely
Record it while it is still there
Photograph the water line, the source and each damaged item before it moves, and write down the time.
The water line is the most useful picture on the first day. It is visible on a wall, a door frame or a shelf while the water is still high, and it becomes harder to read once the level drops. A wide shot shows the room, a close shot shows the mark, and a third shot shows the source. The time the water was first seen goes on a note that is kept with the photographs.
The items come next. Each damaged thing is photographed where it sits, before it is lifted, and the photograph includes something of known size for scale. A short written list with the location of each item is faster than a long one made later, and it is the record the insurer or the crew will ask for first.
- A wide photograph of the room and a close photograph of the water line
- A photograph of the source, such as the door, the vent or the drain
- A photograph of each damaged item in place, with a known object for scale
- A note of the time the water was first seen and the time the rain stopped
Move what can be moved, and leave the rest
Lift what is valuable and dry, and leave wet cardboard, carpet and furniture for the crew to deal with.
Moving things in the first hour has a limit. A box of papers can be carried out of the water and onto a shelf, and a rug can be hung over a rail. A sofa that has been standing in the water for an hour is too heavy to move safely and is better left where it is until the crew arrives, so the floor under it can be checked.
The valuable items are moved first, and then the things that would be damaged by staying in the wet room. Clothing and linens that are soaked are taken to a dry room, but they are not put in a machine until the water has been judged. Nothing that has stood in creek water is brought into the house.
Calling the line, and what to say
Call (833) 490-5225 and say where the water is, how deep it is, what the source appears to be and whether it is still coming in.
The call is the step that starts the work. The person who answers needs the address, a description of the water, the source if it is known, and whether the power has been checked. A short, plain account is more useful than a long one, and it is fine to say that the source is not known yet.
The homeowner also says what has been done: whether the power is off, whether the valve is closed and whether the photographs have been taken. That account shapes the first steps the crew takes, and it lets the person on the call tell the homeowner what to do while the wait lasts.
The first night, and the next morning
The moisture keeps working after the water is gone, so the room is kept open, ventilated and checked before anyone closes it up.
Once the water has been pumped or has drained away, the floor, the wall base and the air in the room remain damp. In a Georgia summer that dampness is slow to leave a closed room, and a door that is shut for the night traps it. The room is kept open to the rest of the house, with air moving across it if fans are available.
The next morning is for a second look. The water line is checked again, the readings are taken where the crew has marked them, and any new stain or smell is noted. A wall that was dry the evening before but now shows a dark mark has a moisture path that has to be found, and that is the first thing for the crew to check.
- Keep the room open to the house and ventilated overnight
- Check the water line and any new staining the next morning
- Note any smell or new damp spot and show it to the crew
- Keep the power to the room off until a qualified person has checked the outlets
Frequently asked questions
What if I cannot find the main shut-off?
Call the line and say so. The crew can locate it and close it, and the homeowner does not need to dig for it in standing water.
Should I turn off the power to the whole house?
Only if the panel is dry and reachable and the water is near the wiring. If the panel or an outlet is in water, leave it alone and say so on the call.
Can I use a wet vacuum myself?
On a small amount of clean water, with the power off to the room and the cord kept dry, a homeowner can do some of the work. Creek water, silt or standing water near outlets is left to the crew.
Is it safe to go in once the water has stopped?
Not until the power has been checked and the floor has been seen for loose wiring, debris and stored items that may have shifted. A room that is dry on top can still be wet underneath.
What if water is dripping through the ceiling?
Put a bucket or a container under the drip, move valuables away from the spot and photograph the stain. Do not stand under it, and tell the person on the call that the water is coming from above.
What should I photograph first?
The water line on the wall, because it is the record that disappears first. Then the source, then each damaged item in place.
Sources
This guide is general information for Gwinnett County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.