The first hour, step by step
Close the main valve if a pipe is the cause, make the power safe, photograph, report it, then dry. The EPA's window for drying is 24 to 48 hours.1
Free service. Call now and we'll connect you with a local restoration company. How it works
Six steps
From the top
- 01Straight away
Close the main water valve
A leaking hose or a split pipe keeps running until someone closes the main valve, so know where yours is before you need it.3 In a house with a basement it is usually on the wall where the line from the street comes in.
- 02Before you step in
Make the electricity safe
The CDC says to turn the power off at the main switch if you can reach it without standing in water, and to call an electrician if you cannot. Have the wiring checked before the power goes back on.4 If you smell gas, get out and call the gas company or the fire department from outside.4
- 03Before anything moves
Take pictures first
Photograph and film each wet room and the things in it before you clean up. Hold on to damaged items until the adjuster has seen them, and save receipts for anything you buy to stop more damage.5
- 04The same day
Tell your insurance company
Report the loss promptly and ask your insurer what its filing deadline is. Before the adjuster comes, gather your photos, receipts and a list of what was damaged.5
- 05The first two days
Start drying
When the weather allows, open doors and windows, and run fans and dehumidifiers with the fans pushing air outside.4 On a wet Olympia day, outdoor air may not help, so the dehumidifier does more of the work. The EPA's target is to have wet materials dry within 24 to 48 hours.1
- 06If it came from outside
Treat flood water as dirty
Water from a river or from the street can carry sewage.4 The EPA says sewage and other contaminated water call for a professional who has experience with it.1
Please don't
- Wade or drive into moving water near the river. The National Weather Service says fast water 6 inches deep can knock you down, and 12 inches can carry away most cars.2
- Run a generator, pressure washer or gas pump in the basement, garage or a closed porch.4
- Climb onto a wet roof during a storm to clear a gutter. Point downspouts away from the house once the weather lets you.3
- Throw out ruined belongings before the adjuster has seen them.5
How dirty is the water
Clean, contaminated or grossly contaminated
The IICRC S500 standard puts water in three categories, and the category decides the method and the gear.6
Category 1Clean source
Water from a sanitary source that poses no substantial risk.6
A burst supply line or a split washer hose. Dry it within 24 to 48 hours anyway.1
Category 2Significantly contaminated
Water with enough contamination to cause discomfort or sickness.6
Rain that ran through a wall or soaked in from the soil outside should be judged on site by a professional.7
Category 3Grossly contaminated
Water that may hold harmful pathogens or toxins, often called black water.6
River flood water and sewage. A professional with that experience should handle it.1,4
The IICRC's S500 committee says the category has to rest on what is actually seen at the site.7
How this works
What happens when you call
It is free to call, and calling commits you to nothing.
![A man in a rain jacket on a covered porch talks on the phone while rain pours over a clogged gutter behind him.]()
1You call
Tell them what happened and where. Have the address ready.
- 2
We connect you
A call network puts you through to an independent local restoration company that serves Olympia and is taking calls.
![A technician points to a water stain on a sloped bedroom ceiling beside a rain-streaked dormer window while the homeowner listens.]()
3They assess and quote
If you want a visit, they look at the damage and quote their own price. Ask for it in writing.
We are a free referral service, not a contractor. The company that answers sets its own prices. How this service works
Want a local company to look at it?
Free to call. An independent restoration company that serves Olympia answers, and you decide what happens next.
Call (360) 584-9136Olympia Water Damage Advice is a free referral and information service, not a contractor. Calls go through our call-tracking line to independent local restoration companies, and we may be paid when a call qualifies. We do not do the work and do not set prices or availability. How it works
Sources
Each numbered note on this page points here. We read every page on October 24, 2026. Where sources disagree we say so; where we could not find a source we left the claim out. We are not affiliated with any of these organizations.
- U.S. EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home. Page updated February 18, 2026. www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home
- National Weather Service (NOAA), Turn Around Don't Drown. Undated page, read October 24, 2026. www.weather.gov/safety/flood-turn-around-dont-drown
- Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), How to protect your home from water damage. No date shown (page copyright 2026). www.iii.org/article/how-to-protect-your-home-from-water-damage
- CDC, Safety Guidelines: Reentering Your Flooded Home. Page updated August 24, 2026. www.cdc.gov/floods/safety/reentering-your-flooded-home-safety.html
- Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), Settling insurance claims after a disaster. No date shown (page copyright 2026). www.iii.org/article/settling-insurance-claims-after-a-disaster
- Cleanfax (trade magazine), Jeff Cross, "Understanding Water Damage Categories". May 6, 2025. cleanfax.com/water-damage-categories/ Summarises the IICRC S500 categories. We have not reproduced the S500 standard itself, which is sold by IICRC.
- IICRC, ANSI/IICRC S500 Consensus Body Issues Position Statement on Category of Water Damage and Weather-Related Events (press release). March 16, 2026. iicrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weather-Related-Water-Damage-Position-PR_March-2026.p…