Library
All guides & articles
Every guide on flood.repair, organized by topic. Each is synthesized from current FEMA, CDC, EPA and IICRC guidance and links to its sources.
When It Floods
Pillar guide →Water Heater Leaking or Burst: Emergency Steps
Water heater leaking or burst? Shut off power/gas and the water supply, contain the flooding, and know when it's the tank vs. a fixable part.
Jul 28, 2026 9 min read
How to Shut Off Your Water Main, Gas & Electricity Fast
How to shut off your water main, gas and electricity in an emergency: where each valve is, the safe order, and when to call the utility instead.
Jun 18, 2026 9 min read
What to Do When a Pipe Bursts in Your Home
A calm, step-by-step guide to a burst pipe: how to shut off the water and power fast, contain the flooding, document for insurance, dry out, and prevent it from happening again — built from FEMA, CDC, Red Cross and IICRC guidance.
Jun 13, 2026 10 min read
The First 24 Hours After a Flood: A Step-by-Step Checklist
Exactly what to do in the first 24 hours after a flood: a calm, step-by-step checklist for safety, stopping the water, documenting damage, and starting to dry out — built from FEMA, CDC and Red Cross guidance.
Jun 13, 2026 9 min read
Cleanup & Drying
Pillar guide →How to Clean Mold After Water Damage (Step by Step)
How to clean mold after water damage: when DIY cleaning is safe, the EPA's soap-and-water method, and which moldy materials must be removed instead.
Jul 25, 2026 9 min read
How to Dry Wet Hardwood Floors Before They Buckle
Water damaged hardwood floors buckle when surface water sits too long. How to remove it fast, dry boards without heat, and tell save from replace by category.
Jul 1, 2026 8 min read
Water-Damaged Drywall: When to Dry vs. When to Remove
Water-damaged drywall guide: signs of damage, when wet drywall can be dried in place vs. cut out, flood cut depth, mold risk, and drying timeline.
Jun 28, 2026 9 min read
Water Damaged Carpet: Save It or Replace It?
Water damaged carpet can sometimes be saved — but only if the water was clean and you act within 48 hours. Here's the decision matrix by category, cost, and contamination.
Jun 25, 2026 8 min read
How to Clean and Disinfect After a Flood
Step-by-step guide to cleaning and disinfecting your home after a flood — surfaces, materials, and the right disinfectants per CDC and EPA.
Jun 23, 2026 11 min read
DIY Water Damage Cleanup vs. Calling a Professional
DIY water damage cleanup works for small clean-water losses caught fast. Here's exactly when to call a professional instead — by category, area and time.
Jun 18, 2026 10 min read
Water Under Hardwood Floor: How to Dry It Before It Cups
Water under a hardwood floor causes cupping and must be dried within 24–48 hours to limit warping and mold. How to pull moisture out with dehumidifiers and floor-drying mats, whether cupped boards flatten on their own, and how to know when the wood and subfloor are truly dry before refinishing.
Jun 18, 2026 9 min read
How Long Does Water Damage Take to Dry? (Realistic Timelines)
How long water damage takes to dry: most homes dry structurally in 3–5 days with professional air movers and dehumidifiers, minor spills in 2–3 days, and saturated framing or hardwood in weeks. See typical dry times by scenario, plus how to know when the structure is truly dry.
Jun 18, 2026 9 min read
How to Get Water Out of Carpet (Dry Wet Carpet Before Mold Sets In)
How to get water out of carpet fast: extract standing water, pull the carpet back, remove the soaked pad, and dry the carpet and subfloor with air movers and a dehumidifier — all within the 24–48 hour mold window, with category-by-category save-or-replace rules.
Jun 18, 2026 9 min read
How to Prevent Mold After Water Damage (Step by Step)
How to prevent mold after water damage: dry everything within 24-48 hours, remove wet materials, control humidity, and disinfect — per EPA, FEMA and CDC guidance.
Jun 18, 2026 11 min read
How to Remove Standing Water From Your Home
How to remove standing water from your home: pump water out of a basement, use a wet/dry vac, pick the right pump by depth, and stay safe from hazards.
Jun 18, 2026 10 min read
Signs of Mold After Water Damage (How to Tell)
Signs of mold after water damage: the musty smell, stains, warping, peeling paint and health symptoms that reveal hidden mold behind walls — per EPA, CDC and FEMA.
Jun 18, 2026 10 min read
Should I Rip Out Wet Drywall After a Flood? (Remove vs. Dry)
Whether to rip out wet drywall after a flood depends on the water: clean-water drywall can sometimes dry in place if treated within 24–48 hours, but contaminated flood water means cut it out and discard. How high to make the flood cut, when insulation must go, and how to know if mold is inside the wall.
Jun 18, 2026 10 min read
What to Throw Away After a Flood (and What to Keep)
What to throw away after a flood: the keep-or-toss list for food, mattresses, carpet, drywall, electronics and documents, based on FEMA, EPA, CDC and Red Cross guidance.
Jun 18, 2026 11 min read
Should I Test for Mold? When Testing Is Worth It
Should I test for mold after a flood? When mold testing helps, when the EPA says to skip it, what inspection costs, and whether DIY mold test kits are reliable.
Jun 18, 2026 9 min read
How to Dry Out a Flooded House (Fans, Dehumidifiers & Timeline)
A step-by-step guide to drying out a flooded house fast: how to remove water, where to point fans, how to use dehumidifiers, how long it takes, and how to know when the structure is truly dry — built from FEMA, EPA and IICRC S500 guidance.
Jun 13, 2026 11 min read
The Categories of Water Damage (Clean, Gray & Black Water)
Category 1, 2 and 3 water damage explained: what clean, gray and black water are, where each comes from, why the category decides what you can save, and how time degrades water from clean to contaminated — per the IICRC S500 standard, EPA and CDC.
Jun 13, 2026 10 min read
Safety & Health
Pillar guide →Generator Safety: Carbon Monoxide & Flood Hazards
Generator safety and carbon monoxide: how far to place a portable generator, why CO kills, and how to run one safely during a power outage or flood.
Jun 22, 2026 8 min read
How to Spot Structural Damage After a Flood
Spot flood structural damage: the foundation cracks, settling, leaning walls and sloping floors that tell you if your house is safe to enter.
Jun 19, 2026 9 min read
Electrical Safety After a Flood: Avoiding Electrocution
Electrical safety after a flood: when it's safe to turn power back on, what to do about flooded outlets and appliances, and the hazards that can kill.
Jun 18, 2026 9 min read
Flood Cleanup Safety Gear: Gloves, Boots & Respirators
Flood cleanup safety gear, matched to the water category: which respirator (N95 vs P100), gloves, boots and eye protection — per EPA, CDC and NIOSH.
Jun 18, 2026 9 min read
Is Floodwater Dangerous? Contamination & Health Risks
Is floodwater dangerous? Yes — floodwater carries sewage, bacteria, chemicals and debris. The contamination and health risks of flood water, per CDC, EPA and FEMA.
Jun 18, 2026 10 min read
Is It Safe to Stay in Your House After a Flood?
Is it safe to stay in your home after a flood? A clear, room-by-room safety assessment covering electrical hazards, gas, structural damage, contaminated water, mold and air quality — built from FEMA, CDC, EPA and Red Cross guidance.
Jun 13, 2026 10 min read
Mold
Pillar guide →How to Get Rid of a Musty Smell After Water Damage (For Good)
A musty smell after water damage means mold is actively growing and releasing odor compounds (mVOCs) — it won't clear until you fix the moisture source and remove the mold. Why air fresheners and ozone only mask it, how to remove the smell at the source, and whether the odor is dangerous to breathe.
Jun 18, 2026 9 min read
How Long Does It Take Mold to Grow After Water Damage?
Mold can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours of water damage. Here's what the 24–48 hour rule really means, what slows or speeds mold growth, and exactly what to do inside that window to prevent it — per FEMA and EPA guidance.
Jun 13, 2026 8 min read
Insurance
Pillar guide →How to Check Your Flood Zone (FEMA Flood Map Guide)
How to check your flood zone in minutes using FEMA's flood maps, what each zone means, how zones are determined, and what your zone means for insurance.
Jul 19, 2026 8 min read
Why Water Damage Claims Get Denied (and How to Avoid It)
Water damage claim denied? The common reasons insurers won't pay — flood exclusions, gradual leaks, lack of maintenance — and how to prevent and appeal a denial.
Jul 16, 2026 11 min read
What Is the NFIP? National Flood Insurance Program Explained
What is the NFIP? A plain-English guide to the National Flood Insurance Program: what it covers, coverage limits, cost, the 30-day wait, and how to buy.
Jul 13, 2026 9 min read
Flood Insurance vs. Homeowners Insurance: What's the Difference?
Flood insurance vs homeowners insurance compared: what each covers, how NFIP works, waiting periods, cost, and how to tell which one you need.
Jul 7, 2026 10 min read
Is Mold Covered by Insurance? What Homeowners Need to Know
Is mold covered by insurance? Standard homeowners policies cover mold only when it stems from a sudden covered peril. Learn what's excluded, what to document, and what to say to your adjuster.
Jun 23, 2026 8 min read
How to File a Flood Insurance Claim (Step by Step)
How to file a flood insurance claim: the NFIP process step by step — notice of loss, documenting damage, the adjuster visit, Proof of Loss deadline, and payment.
Jun 18, 2026 12 min read
How to Document Flood Damage for Insurance
A step-by-step method for documenting flood damage for an insurance claim: photos, video, a room-by-room inventory, the duty to mitigate, and how to protect your payout — built from FEMA, NFIP and consumer-protection guidance.
Jun 13, 2026 10 min read
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage?
A plain-English guide to whether homeowners insurance covers water damage: what's typically covered, what's excluded, why flooding needs separate flood insurance, how the NFIP works, and how to file a claim — synthesized from FEMA, NFIP and FloodSmart guidance.
Jun 13, 2026 11 min read