You discover water in your home. The next ten minutes decide how much the damage ends up costing. Print this list, save it on your phone, post it inside a kitchen cabinet — wherever you will find it under stress. Three actions in order, then call.
Minute 0 to 3: Shut the water off
The single most valuable action is stopping the source. Mop later. Photograph later. Shut off first.
- Identifiable source (dishwasher, washing machine, water heater, toilet, sink): turn the fixture shutoff valve clockwise. Most fixtures have stop valves right next to or under them.
- Source unclear (water appearing from ceiling, baseboard, slab edge with no obvious cause): close the main water shutoff at the meter. Usually a wheel valve at the curb. Turn clockwise. If it will not move, do not force it — call your water utility for emergency shutoff.
- Electric water heater leaking: flip the heater breaker first (water + electricity is the dangerous combination), then close the cold-water shutoff at the top of the heater.
- Gas water heater leaking: close the gas valve at the heater (turn perpendicular to the line), then close the water shutoff.
Minute 3 to 7: Move what is portable
Get items out of the wet zone in this priority order:
- Electronics. Powered off first, then moved. Water damage is bad; water damage with electricity flowing through it is worse.
- Paper. Tax records, birth certificates, passports, family photos. These do not recover from saturation.
- Soft goods. Lift area rugs. Get dust skirts and box springs off wet carpet.
- Furniture. Move what can be moved easily. Slide aluminum foil under legs of what cannot to prevent rust staining on wet carpet.
- Sentimental items. If you have to choose, choose what you cannot replace.
Minute 7 to 10: Photograph everything
Insurance documentation starts with what the damage looked like at the moment of discovery. Take more photos than you think you need.
- Wide shots first. Every room with visible water damage. Stand in the doorway, capture the whole room.
- Close-ups second. The source if visible. The wet area at floor level. Any damaged contents.
- Reference scale. Put a coin or ruler in close-up shots to give size reference.
- Time and date. Most phones embed this automatically — confirm yours does.
- Do not stage the damage. Photograph what you see. Do not rearrange to "show better."
Then call
Call (832) 947-5111. Live phone answer 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The dispatcher will:
- Confirm your address and route the closest available truck.
- Walk you through any remaining safety steps (electrical hazard, HVAC shutdown if water reached returns).
- Give you the realistic arrival time (typically under 60 minutes anywhere in Missouri City).
- Tell you what not to touch and what to do while you wait.
Critical "do not" list for the first 10 minutes
- Do not run the HVAC if water has reached return air vents. Air handler will spread moisture across the home.
- Do not lift wet drywall to "see behind it." You will turn a contained leak into a wider scope.
- Do not enter standing water with electrical hazards. Flip the main breaker first if you smell hot wiring or see water near outlets.
- Do not throw anything away. Even ruined items need documentation before disposal for the insurance claim.
- Do not use a wet/dry vacuum on standing water deeper than 1 inch. The motor is not built for it and you risk electrocution. Restoration trucks have submersible pumps and truck-mounted extractors designed for the volume.
What we bring within 60 minutes
Truck-mounted water extractor (10x the per-minute volume of a portable). LGR dehumidifiers sized for Gulf-Coast humidity. Calibrated moisture meters and thermal imaging for documentation. Containment plastic if biohazard or Category 3 risk is present. Free written estimate and Xactimate-formatted scope before any work is authorized.
For the full process from arrival through reconstruction, see our water damage restoration page or the 24/7 emergency extraction page. For Missouri City-specific patterns by neighborhood — Sienna village failures, Quail Valley cast-iron backups, Lake Olympia waterfront events — see the service area map.
Save this number
Put (832) 947-5111 in your phone now. The 60 seconds it takes today saves time when you actually need it.
Need restoration help in Missouri City right now? Call (832) 947-5111 — live answer, 24/7. Or see our full restoration services, the rest of the blog, or the service area map.