What to Expect After Water Damage

Water damage restoration follows a predictable process. Knowing what happens at each stage — and when — helps you stay ahead and reduces surprises. Here's the full timeline from the moment water hits your home through the day you get your belongings back.

Phase 1: Emergency Response (Hours 0-24)

The first day is about stopping the damage and stabilizing the situation.

• Stop the water source — shut off the main valve, the appliance supply, or the fixture.
• Call your insurance company — file the claim immediately. They'll assign an adjuster.
• Document the damage — photos and video of every affected room before anything is moved.
• Mitigation company arrives — they extract standing water, set up drying equipment, and assess structural damage.
• Assess your contents — determine which areas have affected belongings that need professional attention.

Phase 2: Contents Pack-Out (Days 1-3)

Once the emergency is stabilized, the contents team (that's us) comes in to remove your belongings from the affected areas.

• Room-by-room inventory — every item is photographed, cataloged, and tagged with a unique ID.
• Careful packing — items are packed in labeled boxes organized by room. Fragile items get special packaging.
• Load and transport — belongings are loaded onto our trucks and transported to our cleaning and storage facility.
• Clear the space — removing contents allows the mitigation team to access walls, floors, and cavities for proper drying.

The pack-out process typically takes 1-3 days depending on the size of the home and the number of affected rooms. You'll receive a copy of the full inventory for your records and your insurance claim.

Phase 3: Drying & Structural Repairs (Weeks 1-8)

This is the longest phase and is handled by the mitigation company and general contractor — not the contents team. While your home is being dried and repaired, your belongings are safe in our facility being cleaned.

• Structural drying — industrial fans, dehumidifiers, and air movers run until moisture readings return to normal (typically 3-5 days).
• Demolition — wet drywall, baseboards, flooring, and insulation are removed as needed.
• Mold remediation — if mold is found, it's treated and removed before reconstruction.
• Reconstruction — new drywall, flooring, paint, and finishes are installed to restore your home.

Phase 4: Contents Cleaning (Parallel with Phase 3)

While your home is being repaired, we're cleaning your belongings at our facility. Different items require different techniques:

• Furniture — dehumidification, antimicrobial treatment, wood reconditioning, upholstery cleaning.
• Electronics — ultrasonic cleaning, corrosion removal, testing to confirm function.
• Clothing & textiles — professional laundering, dry cleaning, ozone treatment for odor.
• Documents & photos — freeze-drying to prevent further damage, scanning for digital backup.
• Kitchenware — sanitization, hand cleaning, inspection for damage.

Items that can't be restored are documented and reported to your insurance for replacement value. You'll receive a list of non-restorable items with replacement costs.

Phase 5: Pack-Back (Days 1-2)

Once your home is repaired and ready, we bring everything back.

• Delivery — cleaned belongings are loaded and transported back to your home.
• Placement — furniture goes in the right rooms, artwork rehung, items placed where they belong.
• Unpacking — boxes are unpacked and contents placed. You don't have to do this yourself.
• Walk-through — we walk through the home with you to confirm everything is accounted for and placed correctly.

The goal is for you to walk into a home that feels like yours again — not a construction zone with boxes stacked everywhere.

Typical Timeline