Emergency water damage checklist

When water is flooding into your Houston home, you need a clear plan, not a long article. This checklist is designed as a quick-reference for the first minutes and hours after discovering water damage. Save this page on your phone or print it and keep it somewhere you can find it.

Immediate actions (first 15 minutes)

• 1Check safety. Do not walk through standing water if it may have reached electrical outlets or appliances. If unsure, leave the house and call 911.
• 2Turn off electricity at the main breaker if you can reach the panel safely without stepping in water. If the panel is in a flooded area, call CenterPoint Energy to disconnect power from outside.
• 3Stop the water source. For plumbing failures: turn off the fixture valve or the main water shutoff at the meter. For Houston homes on slab, the meter is usually near the sidewalk at the front of the property.
• 4Call a restoration company. The sooner extraction starts, the more of your property can be saved. In Houston, mold can start in 24 hours. Do not wait until morning.

Documentation (first 30 minutes)

• 5Take photos and video of every affected room, showing the waterline height, the source of the water, and damaged belongings. Use your phone’s timestamp feature.
• 6Call your insurance company to report the claim. Write down the claim number, the rep’s name, and the date and time of the call. Under Texas law, the insurer must acknowledge your claim within 15 days.
• 7Start a written log recording the timeline: when the damage occurred (or was discovered), when you shut off the water, when you called for help, when the crew arrived.

Damage mitigation (first 1-2 hours)

• 8Move furniture off wet carpet. Place aluminum foil or plastic sheeting between furniture legs and the wet floor to prevent staining.
• 9Remove area rugs and throw rugs from wet areas. Hang them to dry if they are not contaminated with sewage or floodwater.
• 10Open cabinet doors and closet doors in affected areas to promote air circulation. Move contents of lower cabinets to higher shelves or dry areas.
• 11Lift curtains and drapes off the floor. Loop them over the curtain rod or use hangers on the rod to raise them above the waterline.
• 12Use a wet/dry vacuum on hard surfaces if you have one. Do NOT use a regular household vacuum on water.
• 13Turn on the HVAC if the ceiling is not sagging and the system is above the waterline. Set it to a low temperature to start dehumidifying the air. In Houston, do NOT open windows. The outdoor humidity will make things worse.

What NOT to do

• Do not use a regular vacuum cleaner on water (electrocution hazard)
• Do not turn on ceiling fans or light fixtures in rooms with a sagging, water-loaded ceiling
• Do not enter rooms where the ceiling appears to be bowing downward. Pooled water is heavy enough to cause a collapse.
• Do not try to remove drywall or flooring yourself. Hidden moisture needs to be mapped first.
• Do not throw away damaged items before documenting them for insurance
• Do not apply bleach to mold. It does not penetrate porous surfaces and can mask the problem.
• Do not use portable gas generators, grills, or camp stoves indoors. Carbon monoxide kills, and Houston storm events have proved this too many times.

Information to have ready for the restoration crew

• When the damage occurred or was discovered
• The source of the water (if known)
• Whether the water may be contaminated (sewage, floodwater, appliance gray water)
• Your insurance policy number and the name of your carrier
• Any areas of the home you were unable to access or inspect
• Whether you have pets or family members with respiratory conditions (matters for chemical sensitivities)

Houston-specific emergency numbers

• CenterPoint Energy (power disconnection): (713) 207-2222
• City of Houston 311: For non-emergency flooding reports and sandbag locations
• Harris County Flood Control District: (713) 684-4000
• Texas Department of Insurance (claims help): 1-800-252-3439