A burst supply line, a failed sump pump, a slow leak behind a wall that finally gives up at 2 a.m. — the way you handle the first hour decides whether you're looking at a small mitigation bill or a months-long reconstruction. After 26 years of running emergency response calls across the Kansas City Metro, here's exactly what we tell homeowners on the phone before we arrive.
Stop the water — safely
Find the main water shutoff to the house first, not the fixture. Most homes have it at the meter on the street side or in the basement near the foundation. If the source is a hot water tank, the cold inlet valve at the top is faster than the meter. If you can't find it in 60 seconds, call us — we'll talk you through it.
If the leak is anywhere near an electrical outlet, panel, or fixture, kill power at the breaker before you walk through standing water. Water plus 120V is the kind of thing that turns a property loss into a hospital visit.
The 24–48 hour mold clock
Microbial growth begins in saturated drywall, insulation, and substrate between 24 and 48 hours after a water event — sometimes sooner depending on temperature and humidity. That's the window where calling a restoration contractor versus waiting and seeing changes the entire scope of repair.
Document everything before you move it
- 01Take wide photos of every affected room from the entry point.
- 02Take close-up photos of the source (the leak, the broken pipe, the appliance) before you fix or remove it.
- 03Take photos of any contents that touched the water — furniture, electronics, rugs.
- 04Write down the date and time you discovered it. Write down the date and time you stopped the water.
- 05Save any plumbing receipts or service-call invoices related to the source.
Adjusters work from documentation. The more you have at the moment of discovery, the cleaner the claim runs. We handle the rest of the documentation once we're on site, but the first 30 minutes of photos are yours.
Categories of water — and why they matter
The IICRC defines three categories of water loss. Knowing which one you're dealing with tells you what gets dried versus what gets discarded:
- Category 1 (Clean): broken supply line, dishwasher overflow with clean water. Usually dryable in place with proper equipment.
- Category 2 (Gray): washing machine, aquarium, leaking sump pit. Requires antimicrobial application and selective demolition.
- Category 3 (Black): sewage, flood water, any source that has been sitting more than 48 hours. Full demolition and EPA-registered disinfection required by code.
What not to do
- Don't run a household dehumidifier and call it a job. Residential units are an order of magnitude undersized for structural drying.
- Don't pull drywall yourself before documentation. Photos of the damaged surface matter for the claim.
- Don't accept a verbal estimate from any contractor — get it in writing, and for insurance work, get it in Xactimate.
- Don't sign a contingency contract before the inspection. A free inspection should be free, with no strings.
When to call
Now. If water is actively flowing or has been standing more than a few hours, the cost curve only goes up from here. Wiley Services answers the phone 24/7 — live answer, owner picks up. On-site in 60 to 90 minutes for emergencies across the Kansas City Metro and Northwest Missouri.
About the author
Derick Wiley is the owner and lead estimator at Wiley Services, a Class A general contracting and IICRC-certified restoration firm based in Lathrop, MO. He's spent 26 years in the industry and personally writes every Wiley Services estimate.
