The first hour, every step
Supply off, power safe, photos, a call to the insurer, then drying. The EPA's window to dry wet materials 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
In order
- 01Before anything else
Shut off the water supply
Triple-I's first piece of advice is to know where the main water shut-off valve is, since finding and closing it fast saves stress, money and time.3 In an old basement it is usually near the meter, where the line from the street comes through the wall.
- 02Before the stairs
Don't step into a wet basement with the power on
If water covers the basement floor, the CDC says to shut the power off at the main only if you can do it without standing in water, and otherwise to call an electrician. Have the system checked before turning it back on.4 Smell gas? Leave the house and call the gas company or the fire department.4
- 03First, before cleanup
Photograph it all
Photograph or videotape the damage, and keep damaged belongings until the adjuster has visited.5 A picture of the high-water mark on the basement wall is worth taking.
- 04Today
Report it
Contact your agent or insurance company right away and ask how long you have to file. Take reasonable steps to stop further damage and keep the receipts for what you spend.5
- 05Next 48 hours
Get it drying
Open doors and windows if the weather allows, and use fans and dehumidifiers, fans pointing out.4 Before restarting a furnace that may have been wet, have it and the ducts inspected.4 The EPA's window for drying wet things is 24 to 48 hours.1
- 06If it came up a drain
Sewage is not a DIY job
The EPA says sewage and other contaminated water should be cleaned up by a professional with experience in that work.1 River water in a flooded home can carry sewage too.4
Please don't
- Use a torch, a propane or kerosene heater or any open flame on a frozen pipe.6
- Run a generator or gas pump in the basement or the attached garage.4
- Walk into flood water along the river. Moving water 6 inches deep can knock an adult down, says the National Weather Service.2
- Throw damaged things away before the adjuster has looked.5
What kind of water
Three categories of water
The IICRC S500 standard defines three categories of water, and each calls for different work.7
Category 1Clean source
Comes from a sanitary source and poses no substantial risk.7
A frozen pipe that split in an outside wall. Still dry it within 24 to 48 hours.1
Category 2Significantly contaminated
Carries enough contamination to make people uncomfortable or sick.7
Seepage through a basement wall from the soil. A professional should judge it on site.8
Category 3Grossly contaminated
May hold harmful pathogens or toxins; known as black water.7
A sewer backup through the floor drain, or the river in the basement. Leave it to a professional.1,4
The IICRC's S500 committee says the category should reflect conditions observed at the site.8
How this works
What happens when you call
It is free to call, and calling commits you to nothing.
![A man in a flannel shirt stands at the top of the basement stairs on the phone, looking down at water on the basement floor.]()
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 Faribault and is taking calls.
![A technician crouches by a sump pit and points to the pump while the homeowner listens, stone foundation walls behind them.]()
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 Faribault answers, and you decide what happens next.
Call (507) 333-9838Faribault 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
- American Red Cross, Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes. Copyright 2026. www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/winter-storm…
- 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…