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Water and fire damage services

Water damage or fire damage?One call to a local contractor.

Water Damage First is a call-in referral service for homeowners dealing with water, smoke or fire damage. Your call connects you with an independent local restoration contractor, and our guides explain what happens next in plain language.

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If you smell gas or see fire, call 911 first.

  • Water and floodLeaks, burst pipes, basements and sewage
  • Fire and smokeBoard-up, soot, odor and hose water
  • Independent contractorsOne call connects you with a local business
  • Sourced guidesPlain answers linked to EPA and IICRC

Key facts: Home

  • EPA advises drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours [1].
  • Water damage work is guided by the ANSI/IICRC S500 standard, and fire work by S700 [2] [3].
  • Water Damage First is a referral service and does not perform the work itself.

Start here

What is the water or fire doing?

Pick what you are seeing to get the first thing to do and the service that handles it.

Wand of a water extractor pulling water from wet beige carpet in a living room1 / 8

Water extraction

Standing water on the floor

Stay out if the power is on, stop the source, then get the water out before it soaks further.

Read more (833) 610-0241

Services

Water and fire damage restoration services

Pick a service to see how the work is done, or go straight to emergency first steps.

Water Damage RestorationLeaks, floods, drying and cleanup
Fire Damage RestorationSecuring, cleaning and odor
Emergency: WaterFirst steps when it is happening now
Emergency: FireWhat to do once the fire is out

Our work types

Inside water and fire restoration work

Before and after, by room and type of damage.

Kitchen floor under a sink before and after dryingBeforeAfter

Kitchen sink leak

Kitchen floor under a sink before and after drying

How it works

Three steps from call to dry, clean home

  1. 1

    Make it safe

    Stop the water or wait for fire department clearance, then take photos.

  2. 2

    Call

    You are connected with an independent local contractor who talks it through with you.

  3. 3

    Restore

    The contractor inspects, dries or cleans, and records the work for your insurer.

Safety checklist

Water pouring through, or smelling gas?

Leave the area and turn off water at the main if it is safe. For fire, gas or injury, call 911 first.

Call now(833) 610-0241

Your first move

What to do in the next ten minutes

With a leak, close the main water valve, then turn off power to wet rooms if you can do so without standing in water. With a fire, stay out until the fire department clears the building. In both cases, start taking photos when it is safe, because they are the easiest record to lose once work begins.

Then call your insurer and arrange help. A restoration contractor can inspect the damage, explain the order of work and record what they find. You do not need to know the right vocabulary on the phone. Saying what you can see and when it started is enough.

Water covering a hardwood hallway floor at night

How it works

How a call to Water Damage First works

You call the number on this site. Your call is connected with an independent contractor, who speaks with you directly about the problem. We are not the contractor, we do not send crews and we do not set the terms of any job. Any agreement is between you and that business.

That means you should ask the same questions you would ask anyone working on your home. Check licensing where your state requires it, ask about insurance, and get the scope of work in writing. Our guides list questions that help.

Restoration crew carrying air scrubbers up the steps of a fire-damaged brick two-flat

Quick comparison

What each kind of damage needs first

  • Clean water leakClose the valve, remove the water and begin drying within the EPA's 24 to 48 hour window.
  • Sewage or floodwaterKeep people out, since porous materials usually have to go. Protective gear is needed.
  • House fireWait for clearance, secure the building, then deal with hose water before cleaning.
  • Smoke from a nearby fireKeep the HVAC off until checked, and avoid wiping residue until it has been identified.
  • Storm-opened roofGet a tarp on from the outside, keep receipts and report the loss.

Service areas

Water and fire damage restoration service area map

Select a pin to see restoration services in that area.

Service areas

Water damage restoration service areas

Choose your state or city to see water and fire damage restoration services there.

All service areas
  • Craftsman bungalows with deep front porches under tall oak trees on a quiet intown streetService area

    Atlanta

    Older intown neighborhoods and aging sewer laterals shape water damage across Atlanta, from Virginia-Highland to Buckhead.

    Learn more
  • Rows of brick two-story homes along a curving street with young trees in north TexasService area

    Cedar Hill

    Sudden rain, creek-side runoff and varied home ages shape water damage in Cedar Hill, Texas, from Lake Ridge to Historic Downtown.

    Learn more
  • Boulevard lined with limestone greystones and mature trees on a clear morningService area

    Chicago

    Two-flats, courtyard buildings and bungalows change how fire and smoke move in Chicago homes and how restoration gets planned.

    Learn more
  • Large stucco home with a tile roof among mature trees below a mountain slopeService area

    Colorado Springs

    Wildfire history and foothill neighborhoods shape fire and smoke damage in Colorado Springs, including homes the flames never reached.

    Learn more
  • Row of three-decker houses with stacked front porches on a city streetService area

    Connecticut

    Coastal hurricanes, river floods and older multi-family housing shape Connecticut water damage, from Bridgeport three-deckers to Norwalk.

    Learn more
  • Plywood boards fastened over the windows of a fire-damaged brick buildingService area

    Dallas

    From Lakewood Tudors to Lake Highlands slab ranches and apartments, Dallas housing shapes how fire and smoke damage gets handled.

    Learn more
  • Row of modest mid-century brick and frame houses on a street with mature treesService area

    Delaware

    Creek floods after Ida, older Wilmington rowhomes and Newark rentals shape water damage across northern Delaware.

    Learn more
  • Curving Irvington street lined with mature trees and older two-story housesService area

    Indianapolis

    Older sewer lines and historic neighborhoods shape water damage in Indianapolis, from Irvington to Broad Ripple.

    Learn more
  • Hilly street of nineteenth-century limestone and frame houses under shade treesService area

    Kansas

    Kansas River flood history, spring storms and full basements shape water damage in Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City and Johnson County.

    Learn more
  • Townhouse row near a suburban shopping area on a wet grey afternoon with evergreens behindService area

    Lake Stevens

    A 1,040-acre lake, wet winters and shared-wall housing shape water damage in Lake Stevens, Washington.

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  • Brick ranch house with a blue tarp over part of the roof and tree limbs on the lawnService area

    Louisiana

    Hurricanes, heavy rain floods and high humidity shape water damage in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and across Louisiana.

    Learn more
  • Snow-covered New England farmhouse and red barn at dusk with lit windowsService area

    New Hampshire

    Ice dams, frozen pipes, wet stone cellars and river floods shape water damage in Manchester, Nashua, Concord and Portsmouth.

    Learn more
  • Wide suburban commercial road lined with strip centers and apartments in steady rainService area

    Norcross

    Apartment pipe bursts, Chattahoochee-area storms and a historic downtown shape water damage in Norcross, Georgia.

    Learn more
  • Suburban street of two-story homes with young trees on a rainy morningService area

    Oregon

    Long wet seasons, ice storms and river floods shape Oregon water damage, from Portland bungalows to Willamette Valley crawlspace homes.

    Learn more
  • Waterfront homes and palms along a wide tidal river with a highway bridge in the distanceService area

    Port Charlotte

    Hurricanes Charley and Ian, canal lots and block homes shape water damage in Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda, Florida.

    Learn more
  • Small-town Texas main street with low brick storefronts and young street trees at duskService area

    Prosper

    Fast-growing neighborhoods, attic-routed plumbing and spring storms shape water damage in Prosper, Texas.

    Learn more

Service areas

Water and fire damage services by location

Restoration services by state and city: Oregon, Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Chicago, Dallas, Colorado Springs, Cedar Hill, Lake Stevens, Norcross, Port Charlotte, Prosper, Atlanta, Indianapolis.

Why one site

Water and fire damage are often the same job

A house fire is also a water loss, since hoses leave a lot behind. A burst pipe may mean mold prevention weeks later. Treating these as connected problems helps you ask better questions.

If you are not sure where to start, read what to do after water damage or go to fire damage restoration.

Row of air movers aimed along a wall with baseboards removed in an empty room

Insurance

A word about coverage

Standard homeowners policies generally treat a sudden pipe break differently from flooding, and sewer backup often needs an endorsement. Fire is commonly covered, but limits and living expense terms vary. Your policy controls, so call your insurer early and keep notes of each conversation. Our adjuster guide shows what to prepare.

Packers wrapping smoke-stained dishes into labeled boxes in a fire-damaged kitchen

Guides

Read before you decide

Written for people in the middle of it.

All guides
  • Wand of a water extractor pulling water from wet beige carpet in a living roomGuide

    Can Wet Carpet Be Saved?

    Wet carpet can sometimes be saved if the water was clean and it dries quickly. Pad usually goes. When sewage or floodwat

    Read the guide
  • Restoration crew in protective suits carrying equipment into a smoke-stained brick houseGuide

    The First 24 Hours After a House Fire

    After a house fire: wait for clearance, find safe shelter, call your insurer, secure the property and document everythin

    Read the guide
  • Row of air movers aimed along a wall with baseboards removed in an empty roomGuide

    How Long Drying Takes

    Drying often takes several days, but materials, humidity and flood depth change that. What slows the job down, and how y

    Read the guide
  • Opened wall showing wet studs with air movers and a dehumidifier aimed at the cavityGuide

    How to Find Hidden Moisture

    Hidden moisture shows up as odor, soft baseboards and bubbling paint. How to check walls and floors, and when a meter or

    Read the guide
  • Split copper pipe with ice on it inside an open wall cavityGuide

    Plumber or Restoration Contractor?

    A plumber stops and fixes the leak. A restoration contractor deals with wet materials. Here is how to decide who to call

    Read the guide
  • Basement floor drain surrounded by dark standing water and stained concreteGuide

    Water Damage Categories Explained

    Category 1 is clean, Category 2 significantly contaminated and Category 3 grossly unsanitary. What each means for your h

    Read the guide
  • Opened wall showing wet studs with air movers and a dehumidifier aimed at the cavityGuide

    Wet Drywall: Save or Replace

    Whether wet drywall can stay depends on the water source, how long it sat wet and whether the wall cavity can dry. How t

    Read the guide
  • Water covering a hardwood hallway floor at nightGuide

    What to Do After Water Damage

    The first hours after water damage, in order: safety, stopping the source, photos, moving belongings, calling your insur

    Read the guide
  • Technician in a respirator vacuuming black soot from a ceiling with a HEPA vacuumGuide

    Why Smoke Smell Lingers

    Smoke smell lingers because residue sits in porous materials and cavities. What removes it, what only hides it, and why

    Read the guide
  • Fieldstone cellar with wooden beams and standing water on the floorGuide

    Why Sump Pumps Fail

    Sump pumps fail from power loss, stuck floats, clogs and age. How to test yours, which backups help and what to do when

    Read the guide
  • Packers wrapping smoke-stained dishes into labeled boxes in a fire-damaged kitchenGuide

    Working With Your Insurance Adjuster

    How to prepare for an adjuster after water or fire damage: photos, inventories, receipts, questions to ask, and why floo

    Read the guide
Restoration crew carrying air scrubbers up the steps of a fire-damaged brick two-flat

Ready to talk?

Call to connect with an independent local contractor.

Call now(833) 610-0241

Sources and citations

  1. [1]U.S. EPA: A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home
  2. [2]IICRC: ANSI/IICRC S500 water damage standard
  3. [3]IICRC: ANSI/IICRC S700 fire and smoke standard

Keep reading

Related services and guides

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