Water Damage: The First 72 Hours
Updated: Aug 1
By Kevin Buck
Master Certified Services
When water enters a home, the visible puddle may be the smallest part of the problem.
Water follows gravity, absorbs into porous materials, and travels through openings that cannot be seen from inside the room.
It may spread into ceilings, walls, insulation, flooring systems, cabinets, carpet padding, and other concealed spaces.
Once water reaches these materials, the homeowner has a limited opportunity to find it, extract it, and begin effective drying before mold growth becomes increasingly likely.
The first 24 to 72 hours are critical.
Seventy-two hours should not be treated as permission to wait. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends drying water-damaged materials within 24 to 48 hours whenever possible to help prevent mold growth.¹
Depending on the materials, temperature, humidity, and amount of water involved, mold growth may begin sooner.
The clock does not begin when mold becomes visible.
The clock begins when water enters the material.
The Hardest Places to Reach May Hold the Most Water
The water you can see is usually the easiest water to remove.
The greater concern is moisture trapped in places where ordinary household fans and surface drying cannot reach.
Common problem areas include:
Beneath carpet and carpet padding.
Behind base trim.
Under wood, laminate, vinyl, or tile flooring.
Inside insulation.
Beneath cabinets and cabinet toe-kicks.
Above finished ceilings.
Between the two drywall surfaces enclosing a wall cavity.
Behind wallpaper, paneling, or other wall coverings that restrict evaporation.
Wallpaper and paneling can conceal staining and slow the movement of moisture out of a wall. A painted drywall surface may appear normal while the back of the drywall, insulation, and wooden framing remain wet.
Carpet may feel dry while the padding underneath is still holding substantial moisture.
Base trim may conceal wet drywall precisely where water has collected along the floor.
You Cannot Determine Dryness by Touch
Most wet building materials begin drying first on the exposed surface.
The surface may therefore feel dry while moisture remains trapped underneath or behind it. Flooring may feel dry while water remains between the finished floor and the subfloor.
A wall may feel dry while moisture remains on the back of the drywall or inside the insulation. Touching a surface cannot tell you what is happening inside the material.
Moisture Must Be Measured
A moisture meter can detect elevated moisture that cannot be identified by touch alone.
Depending on the meter and the material, it may provide a moisture-content reading or a comparative measurement showing that one area contains more moisture than a known dry area.
Professional restoration contractors, inspectors, and environmental consultants normally carry moisture meters and use them to:
Locate the boundaries of the affected area.
Compare wet materials with unaffected materials.
Find concealed moisture.
Monitor drying progress.
Determine whether materials have reached an acceptable drying condition.
The meter must be appropriate for the material, and its readings must be interpreted correctly. Metal fasteners, electrical wiring, salts, material density, and measurement depth can sometimes affect readings.
A moisture meter is a valuable tool—not a substitute for knowledge.
Should a Homeowner Own a Moisture Meter?
Basic consumer moisture meters are available online and at home-improvement stores. Consumer models commonly cost approximately $40 to $150.² A consumer meter may be useful for checking accessible drywall, wood, base trim, flooring, and other materials following a minor leak.
Professional meters and inspection systems may cost several hundred dollars to $1,500 or more. They may provide greater measurement depth, pin and pinless modes, specialized probes, humidity readings, moisture mapping, and reporting capabilities.³
Ordering a meter after discovering a major water loss may not be the best emergency plan.
By the time the meter arrives—and the homeowner learns how to use it—the most important part of the 72-hour response period may already be gone.
K
eeping a basic meter on hand may be worthwhile, particularly in a property with a history of basement seepage, plumbing problems, roof leaks, or previous water damage.
A future Master Certified Services article will explain the differences between pin and pinless meters, how to establish comparison readings, where to take measurements, and how to avoid misleading results.
You cannot confirm that a building is dry simply because its surface feels dry.
Moisture must be measured.
Extraction Comes Before Drying
Professional restoration begins by removing as much liquid water as practical.
Weighted extraction equipment applies pressure to saturated carpet and padding while powerful suction removes the water forced toward the surface.
The Phoenix Hydro-X Xtreme Xtractor is an example of this type of equipment. Its compression-and-suction roller is designed to remove water from both the carpet and the padding underneath.⁴
The difference may be visible as the equipment moves across the room. Extracted carpet may appear lighter behind the machine, while the still-saturated carpet ahead remains darker.
The more water removed through extraction, the less moisture must later be removed through evaporation and dehumidification.
Drying equipment cannot compensate for inadequate extraction.
Air movers, dehumidifiers, temperature control, and ventilation all have important roles—but they must be used as parts of a properly designed drying system.
Choosing a Water-Restoration Contractor
A qualified contractor should determine how far the water traveled before deciding what equipment and procedures are required.
The contractor should inspect concealed areas, determine the category of water involved, take moisture measurements, and document the affected materials.
Check on the contractor before hiring them:
Check company reviews online
Holds appropriate IICRC water-restoration credentials.
Talk to your insurance adjuster to make sure that this contractor is reliable and fair.
Make sure the contractor uses industry standard documentation such as Xactimate.
Will determine the category of water involved.
Will inspect beneath flooring and behind base trim when conditions warrant it.
Uses moisture meters and prepares a moisture map.
Performs adequate extraction before placing drying equipment.
Uses weighted extraction equipment when appropriate.
Records moisture readings throughout the project.
Will provide photographs and written drying documentation.
Can explain which materials should be restored and which should be removed.
Has a plan for addressing possible mold growth when materials have remained wet too long.
Be cautious when someone simply places fans in the room without measuring moisture or investigating where the water traveled.
Visible dryness is not complete dryness.
A contractor who cannot explain the drying plan may not have one.
What Should You Do Immediately?
Stop the source of water when it can be done safely.
Contact a qualified water-restoration contractor.
Notify your insurance company when appropriate.
Photograph the affected areas before moving or discarding materials.
Do not assume that carpet, walls, or flooring are dry because they feel dry.
Ask that concealed areas be investigated and moisture readings documented.
Do not wait for visible mold before taking action.
Electrical hazards, contaminated water, sagging ceilings, and structural damage require professional attention. Do not enter an unsafe area merely to inspect or photograph it.
Learn More About Professional Water Restoration
Water restoration involves considerably more than placing fans in a wet room.
For a detailed explanation of water categories, weighted extraction, carpet and padding, drying equipment, moisture mapping, documentation, and the consequences of restoration shortcuts, continue to:
The Science of Professional Water-Damage Restoration Companion article coming soon.
Concerned About Hidden Moisture or Mold?
Master Certified Services provides independent mold inspection, testing, consultation, and interpretation. We do not perform water restoration or mold remediation. Our recommendations are not influenced by selling cleanup work.
Schedule a free, no-obligation telephone consultation.
Kevin Buck
Master Certified Services
Call or text: 218-464-8315
Information furnished by Master Certified Services of MN, LLC.
Footnotes
1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home. Water-damaged materials should be dried within 24 to 48 hours whenever possible.https://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home
2. Home Depot, Moisture Meters. Consumer products currently range from approximately $20 to $200; prices vary by model and retailer.https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Electrical-Tools-Electrical-Testers-Moisture-Meters/N-5yc1vZchjn
3. Tramex, Moisture Encounter ME5. Example of a professional non-destructive meter used on drywall, wood, floors, ceilings, and other building materials.https://tramexmeters.com/me5-moisture-encounter
4. Phoenix Restoration Equipment, Hydro-X Xtreme Xtractor. Manufacturer information describing the equipment’s compression-and-suction roller.https://usephoenix.com/resources/videos/phoenix-hydro-x-xtractor-and-vacuum-pack-videos/
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