Guide
Water damage: the first 48 hours
The first two days decide how much ends up in the dumpster. This is the order that matters, with the San Antonio numbers you might need.
In order
Stay safe
Keep out of water near outlets, cords or the panel, and away from sewage. Smell gas? Leave the house and call from outside.
Stop the water
Close the main shut-off near the meter or the valve on the appliance. Stop using drains if sewage is coming up.
Report it
Leaks from SAWS lines: 210-704-SAWS (7297), then press 1. Backups: a licensed plumber, then SAWS.
Record it
Photos and video of every wet room, the source and damaged belongings, before cleanup.
Start drying
Extraction and drying equipment within a day or two keeps mold from taking hold.
Switch off, shut off, stay out
The City of San Antonio's flood guidance warns never to touch electrical equipment that is wet or while standing in water, and to turn off power at the main breaker only if that is safe. If the panel is in the wet area, call CPS Energy at 210-353-2222 or an electrician rather than reaching for it.
For a pipe, close the customer shut-off valve, which on many homes sits near the meter box, then open a low faucet to drain what is left in the lines. SAWS recommends having a valve there that shuts off the whole property (SAWS).
Records
What to photograph and keep
- Water depth, with a tape measure or something for scale
- The source: the pipe, appliance, drain or ceiling
- Each damaged item, before it is moved or thrown away
- Receipts for fans, tarps, buckets and emergency repairs
- When it started and any SAWS or city report numbers
- Your insurer's claim number and the adjuster's name
Why speed matters
The EPA recommends drying water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth (EPA). Wet drywall and carpet pad rarely dry that fast on their own, and humid air slows them further.
Insurance has its own clock. The Texas Department of Insurance tells homeowners to report a claim as soon as possible, to make temporary repairs that stop further damage and keep the receipts, and not to make permanent repairs or throw away damaged items until the insurer has seen them (TDI).
Leak, flood, smoke or mold
Talk it through with a San Antonio restoration contractor
Say where the water came from, which rooms it reached and roughly when it started. The contractor on the line can tell you what an inspection would look at and what they charge for it.
Water where it shouldn't be? Make one call.
The call goes to an independent restoration contractor that takes work in your part of Bexar County or the nearby suburbs.
Call (210) 750-1322Calls may be recorded for quality. How the line is paid: referral disclosure. What is kept: privacy.