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Guide

The first 48 hours after water damage

What you do in the first two days decides how much of the house can be dried instead of torn out. Here is the order that works, with the Mesa numbers you may need.

Call (480) 863-0892
Woman on the phone in a tiled hallway with a towel on the damp floor

In order

Five things, roughly hour by hour

  1. 01

    Stop the water

    Close the fixture valve or the main shut-off. For a roof leak, catch the drip and protect what's below.

  2. 02

    Make it safe

    Keep out of water near electrics. Cut power at the breaker only from a dry spot.

  3. 03

    Record it

    Photos and video of every wet room, the source and damaged belongings, before anything moves.

  4. 04

    Call your insurer

    Ask what they need, whether they send an adjuster and what you may do before they see it.

  5. 05

    Start drying

    Get water extracted and drying equipment running, with moisture readings written down.

Switch off, and who to call

Shut-offs and Mesa contact numbers

Switch off

In the house

  • The main water valve, or the valve on the leaking fixture.
  • Power to wet rooms, at the breaker, standing somewhere dry.
  • The water heater, if the house will be without water for a while.
  • HVAC, if sewage or soot is in the rooms it serves.
  • If you smell gas, don't switch anything: leave and call from outside.

Call

City of Mesa numbers

  • Fire, injury, gas smell or downed lines: 911.
  • Gas emergencies: 911 and 480-644-4277.
  • Water leak in the street, sewer overflow or backup: 480-644-2262.
  • Mesa electric outage: 480-644-2266.
  • Sand and bags during monsoon season: 480-644-2160.

Source: City of Mesa: Report a Utility Emergency ยท City of Mesa: Monsoon Ready in Mesa (PDF)

Evidence

What to photograph

  • Wide shots of each wet room from the doorway.
  • The source: the broken pipe, the appliance, the ceiling stain or the doorway.
  • The height the water reached on walls, cabinets and furniture.
  • Model and serial labels on any appliance that failed.
  • Damaged belongings before they go to the curb.
  • The water meter dial, if you suspect a hidden leak.
  • Equipment the contractor sets up, and the dates it runs.
  • Any written estimate or contract, kept with the photos.

From the state regulator

What Arizona's insurance department suggests

The Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions has a page on exactly this. Its advice is to deal with the immediate danger first, then take pictures before any water mitigation company, plumber or restoration contractor arrives.

It suggests reading your policy and calling your insurer or adjuster before calling a contractor, to confirm what is covered, the deductible and who will be paid. It also recommends checking that any contractor is licensed in Arizona, keeping a log of dates, technicians and equipment, and never signing a contract on a device that won't let you read it in full.

Renters should talk to the landlord before any work begins.

Source: Arizona DIFI: Water Damage

Questions

First-48-hour questions

Should I wait for the adjuster before drying starts?

Ask your insurer. Many expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, and photos taken before work starts help. Arizona's insurance department suggests calling the insurer before calling a contractor.

How soon does mold start?

There isn't a fixed clock, but materials that stay wet for more than a day or two are at real risk. That is why extraction and measured drying should start as soon as it is safe.

Can I use my own fans and a shop vacuum?

For a small spill on tile, often yes. For soaked carpet, drywall or cabinets, household fans rarely reach the water inside materials, and you won't know what is still wet without a moisture meter.

Water, smoke or mold in the house

Talk it through with a Mesa restoration contractor

A short call gets the facts in front of someone who does this work every week: where the water came from, which rooms it reached and how long things have been wet. You choose what happens next.

Water where it shouldn't be? Make the call.

The line connects you with an independent restoration contractor working in Mesa and nearby East Valley towns. Describe the damage, then decide whether to book.

Call (480) 863-0892

Calls may be recorded. Read the referral disclosure and privacy policy.

Call (480) 863-0892