When water is entering your home, your first hour decides how bad the damage gets. In order: keep everyone safe from electrical shock and contaminated water, stop or slow the source if you can reach it safely, kill the power to affected areas, then document everything for insurance before you start removing water. In Houston humidity, mold can begin within 24 to 48 hours, so fast, safe action matters — but never wade into standing water that could be touching an outlet, appliance, or the electrical panel, and never touch sewage or storm floodwater without protection.
Work through the steps below in order. If the water is deep, rising fast, contains sewage, or you cannot safely reach the source or the breaker, skip straight to getting everyone out and calling for professional help.
Watch how it's done
Video: Lowe's Home Improvement. Shown for reference — not affiliated with GetHoustonLeads.
What you'll need
- Rubber boots and waterproof gloves
- A flashlight (not the overhead lights)
- Your phone (for photos and video)
- A wet/dry shop vacuum
- Buckets, mops, and old towels
- Aluminum foil or wood blocks (to lift furniture)
Recommended parts & supplies
- Wet/dry shop vacuum — the fastest way to pull up standing water
- Waterproof gloves and boots — never touch floodwater with bare skin
- Battery LED work light — so you can see without switching on wall power
- Air mover / blower fan — start drying the moment water is out
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Step by step
- 1
Get everyone away from the water first
Before anything else, move people and pets out of the flooded area. Standing water plus electricity equals a shock hazard that can be fatal. If water is touching outlets, power strips, appliances, or the electrical panel — or you are not certain it isn’t — do not step in it. If you smell sewage or the water came from a storm drain or the street, treat it as contaminated and keep everyone clear.
- 2
Cut the power to the affected area
Shut off electricity to the wet rooms at the breaker panel — but only if the panel is dry and you can reach it while standing on a dry surface. Flip the individual breakers for the affected rooms, or the main if you can do it safely. If the panel itself is wet or you would have to stand in water to reach it, do not touch it — call your utility or an electrician instead. Use a flashlight, not the overhead lights.
- 3
Stop or slow the source if you safely can
If the water is coming from a burst pipe, a failed water heater, a supply line, or an overflowing fixture, shut off the water — at the fixture’s local valve if there is one, or at your home’s main shutoff. If it is rising groundwater or storm flooding coming in from outside, you can’t stop the source; focus on protecting people and belongings instead.
- 4
Document everything for your insurance claim
Before you move or throw anything away, take wide photos and video of every affected room, the standing water, and the damaged contents. Get close-ups of the source and any ruined items with visible brand or model numbers. Insurers want proof of the loss before cleanup begins — five minutes of filming now can be worth thousands later. Note the date and time and keep the footage backed up.
- 5
Move and lift what you can save
Get valuables, electronics, documents, and small furniture up out of the water and into a dry room. For furniture that’s too heavy to move, slide aluminum foil, wood blocks, or plastic under the legs to break contact with the wet floor and stop stains and wicking. Pull up area rugs — they hold water against the floor and can be dried separately.
- 6
Start removing the water — clean water only
If the water is clean (from a supply line or rain, not sewage), begin extracting it with a wet/dry shop vacuum, mops, and towels while you wait for help. Every gallon you remove is less that soaks into drywall, baseboards, and your slab. Open windows only if the outdoor humidity is lower than inside; otherwise start fans and a dehumidifier once the power is confirmed safe. Do not vacuum or wade into sewage or floodwater — that’s a job for crews with the right protection.
When to call a pro
Call a water-damage restoration pro right away — not after you’ve tried everything — if the water is more than an inch or two deep, is still rising, contains sewage or came from outside (this is Category 3 "black water" and is a health hazard), or has reached walls, cabinets, or the subfloor. Also call immediately if you can’t safely cut the power or reach the source. Professionals have truck-mounted extractors, commercial air movers, and moisture meters that pull water out of your slab and wall cavities before mold sets in — something a shop vacuum and box fans can’t do. In Houston’s humidity the 24-to-48-hour window closes fast, and most homeowner’s policies expect prompt mitigation, so a fast call actually protects your claim.
Get a free quote from a local pro
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Water in Your House — FAQ
What should I do first when water floods my house?
Is it safe to walk in standing water in my flooded home?
How quickly do I need to act after water damage in Houston?
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