Extensive black and brown staining and peeling paint spread across a pale blue interior wall beside white trim and a ceiling.

Quick answer: Stop the water, make the area safe around electricity, take photos, then get everything drying as fast as you can. The EPA says that when wet materials are dried within 24 to 48 hours of a leak, in most cases mold won’t grow. Pull up soaked rugs and pads, move air, run the AC if the HVAC system stayed dry, and bring in a pro for anything you can’t dry.

In this guide

What should you do in the first hour after a leak?
Should you call your insurance company right away?
How do you dry things out fast enough to prevent mold?
What can’t you dry yourself?
When does a water leak turn into a mold remediation job?
Is it OK to run the AC after a leak?

What should you do in the first hour after a leak?

Stop the water. Close the valve under the fixture if the leak is there, or the home’s main shutoff if it isn’t. It’s often where the line enters the house, in the garage, or at the meter box by the street. Find yours before you need it.

If water is near outlets, cords or appliances, switch off power to that area at the breaker panel, but only if you can reach the panel without standing in water.
Stay out from under a sagging, water-filled ceiling.
If the leak is coming from your AC, turn the system off at the thermostat. Why an AC leaks water covers the usual causes.

Should you call your insurance company right away?

Take photos and video first, then call. Document the source, the wet areas and damaged items before you move them, and keep receipts for anything you buy to dry things out. Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to limit further damage, so start drying while you wait for the adjuster.

How do you dry things out fast enough to prevent mold?

Speed matters more than anything else. The EPA’s window is 24 to 48 hours.

Pull up standing water with a wet/dry vacuum. A household vacuum isn’t built for it.
Lift wet area rugs and move furniture off wet carpet. Wet carpet pad is hard to dry in place and is often replaced.
Open cabinet doors and closets, and pull wet items out of them.
Run fans across wet surfaces and a dehumidifier in the room.
Keep the windows closed and the AC running in humid weather. A July dew point in the 70s means outdoor air brings more water in than it takes out.

What can’t you dry yourself?

Water you can’t reach. Moisture inside walls, under laminate or engineered wood on a slab, or in ceiling insulation can stay wet long after the surface feels dry. Professionals use moisture meters and thermal cameras to find it.

Leave any water from a sewer backup or outdoor flooding to a professional. It’s contaminated, and porous materials it touched usually have to go.

When does a water leak turn into a mold remediation job?

When mold is already growing, or materials stayed wet long enough that it likely will. In Texas, if the affected area is 25 contiguous square feet or more and you hire someone to fix it, a licensed mold assessor writes a protocol, a separate licensed remediation contractor does the work, and the assessor checks the results. The IICRC S520 and Texas mold rules explains how that fits together, and mold testing methods covers what testing can and can’t tell you.

Is it OK to run the AC after a leak?

Usually, if the air handler, ducts and electrical parts stayed dry and you don’t suspect mold in the system. If water reached the HVAC equipment, the EPA advises having it checked before you turn it back on.

About Gold Eagle Services: This guide comes from the team at Gold Eagle Services, a family-run Austin HVAC, indoor air quality and mold remediation company founded in 2017. We’re licensed (TACLA119235 and RCO1783), insured and bonded, and we serve homes across the greater Austin area.

Need help with this in your home? Learn about our HVAC mold treatment and remediation, or call 512-489-4653 to schedule a visit.

Related Gold Eagle service: HVAC mold remediation

What to Do in the First 48 Hours After a Water Leak