First-hour water damage checklist
Six steps for the first hour after water gets loose in a house, plus the shutoff diagram and the numbers worth keeping by the water heater. Print it now, while nothing is wet.
The six steps
When water gets in
Top to bottom- Before you step in
Check for danger
Water near outlets, cords, a space heater or the breaker panel means stay out. So does a ceiling that bulges or sags.
- Stop it
Close a valve
Use the small stop under the fixture if the leak is there. Otherwise turn the main shutoff where the line enters the house. A gas smell means leave first, then call 911 and Kansas Gas Service.
- Evidence
Take pictures, then move things
One wide photo per room, close shots of the source and the waterline, then the damaged belongings.
- Save what you can
Rescue what wicks
Paper, books, photos, rugs and cardboard come off the floor first. Foil under furniture feet stops stains from spreading upward.
- Write it down
Note the time and the cause
Jot down when you found the water and what failed. Say so if it smells like sewage.
- Get it pumped
Line up extraction
Towels will not reach water in carpet pad or wall cavities. EPA's drying window for wet materials is 24 to 48 hours.
If step 5 turns up sewage, switch to the sewer backup steps. If the valve is the problem, the burst pipe page explains fixture stops and draining the lines, and the extraction page covers what happens once a crew arrives.
Outside Wichita
Each nearby city has its own public works line. Derby's after-hours number and Augusta's dispatcher route are on the Derby and Augusta pages; Valley Center and Andover are listed under service areas. Write your own city's number in the margin.
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The address is short: this site's domain followed by /first-hour-checklist/. Neighbors, landlords, church bulletins and HOA newsletters are welcome to print it or link to it. Use your browser's Print command for a clean copy, or download the PDF (one letter-size sheet).
Once the water is stopped, the water damage cost guide helps you read an estimate.