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DIY Help, From the First Hour to the Last Wipe

Some damage is a weekend job and some is dangerous. Start with the decider, then use the cards and kits below.

Should You Do It Yourself

Answer each question with yes or no. Each yes adds points. The total points to a safe next step. When in doubt, choose the safer answer.

Is the wet or damaged area bigger than one small room?

Larger areas hide more moisture than a wet vacuum and fans can find or dry.

Did the water come from a toilet, sewer line or outside flooding?

Sewage and floodwater are Category 3 water that carries real disease risk.

Have materials been wet for more than 48 hours?

Mold can start within 24 to 48 hours, so older water damage often hides growth.

Was the home built before 1980, and will you cut, sand or remove old materials?

Older materials may hold asbestos or lead, and only a lab test can rule them out.

Does anyone in the home have asthma, lung disease or a weak immune system, or is anyone pregnant or an infant?

These people are more at risk from mold, sewage and dust and should stay away from the cleanup.

Is there visible mold covering more than about 10 square feet?

The EPA treats about 10 square feet as the line for DIY mold cleanup.

Is water near outlets, cords, appliances or the electrical panel?

Water and electricity together can kill, so the power has to be cut safely before anyone goes in.

Is a ceiling, floor or wall sagging, bulging or cracked?

A sagging ceiling or weak floor can collapse without warning.

First Hour Cards

Burst Pipe

Do

  1. Shut off the main water valve right away
  2. Turn off power to wet areas only if you can reach the panel standing dry
  3. Open a low faucet to drain the lines
  4. Take a video and photos of every wet room
  5. Pull standing water with a wet dry vacuum
  6. Start fans and a dehumidifier
  7. Call a plumber and your insurer

Do Not

  • Do not walk through water near outlets or cords
  • Do not stand under a sagging ceiling
  • Do not thaw a frozen pipe with a flame
  • Do not wait until tomorrow to start drying

Full guide

Sewage Backup

Do

  1. Stop using every sink, toilet, tub and washer in the house
  2. Keep children, pets and anyone sick or pregnant away
  3. Turn off power to the area only if you can reach the panel standing dry
  4. Call a plumber and your insurer
  5. Photograph everything before cleanup
  6. Wear gloves, boots, goggles and an N95 before you touch anything

Do Not

  • Do not flush or run water to clear the line
  • Do not try to save soaked carpet, pad or drywall
  • Do not mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners
  • Do not run gas equipment indoors

Full guide

House Fire Aftermath

Do

  1. Wait until the fire department clears the building
  2. Call your insurer the same day and ask about living expenses
  3. Board up broken windows and secure the doors
  4. Photograph every room before you move anything
  5. Wear an N95 or better when you go inside
  6. Throw out open food and medicine exposed to heat or smoke

Do Not

  • Do not turn power or gas back on yourself
  • Do not wipe soot with water first
  • Do not run an ozone generator with anyone inside

Full guide

Flooded Basement

Do

  1. Stay out if water is near outlets, cords or the panel
  2. Have the utility cut the power if you cannot reach the panel dry
  3. Treat the water as if it carries sewage
  4. Photograph everything before cleanup
  5. Wear boots, gloves, goggles and an N95
  6. Run any generator outdoors at least 20 feet from the home
  7. Get everything dry within 48 hours

Do Not

  • Do not walk into standing water until the power is off
  • Do not run a generator or gas pump inside or in the garage
  • Do not keep porous items that floodwater soaked
  • Do not relight a gas water heater that sat in water

Full guide

Finding Mold

Do

  1. Measure the patch to see if it is under about 10 square feet
  2. Find the leak or humidity that feeds it
  3. Keep anyone with asthma or a weak immune system away
  4. Take photos before you clean
  5. Wear an N95, vent-free goggles and long gloves
  6. Scrub hard surfaces with detergent and water, then dry them

Do Not

  • Do not dry brush or sand mold
  • Do not paint over mold
  • Do not spray bleach into ducts
  • Do not clean a patch over 10 square feet yourself

Full guide

Supply Kits Worth Having

Water Cleanup Kit

Small clean water leaks and spills caught early

  • Wet dry vacuum. Pulls standing water out of floors and carpet far faster than towels.
  • Two or more box fans or air movers. Moving air across wet surfaces speeds drying.
  • Dehumidifier. Pulls the moisture out of the air so it does not soak back into materials.
  • Pin moisture meter. Shows when walls and floors are truly dry, not just dry to the touch.
  • Hygrometer. Tells you the room humidity so you can keep it under 50 percent while drying.
  • Water shutoff wrench. Lets you close a stiff main valve in seconds.
  • Buckets, towels and a tarp. Catch drips and protect furniture while you work.

How to use it

Small Mold Cleanup Kit

Mold patches under about 10 square feet on hard surfaces

  • N95 respirator. Keeps spores out of your lungs while you scrub and cut.
  • Goggles without vent holes. Stop spores and dust from reaching your eyes.
  • Long rubber or nitrile gloves. Protect your skin up to the forearm.
  • Household detergent and scrub brushes. Detergent and water remove mold from hard surfaces.
  • Heavy plastic bags and tape. Seal moldy materials before you carry them through the house.
  • Plastic sheeting. Closes off the work area so spores stay in one room.
  • Window fan. Blows air out of the room so spores leave instead of spreading.

How to use it

Smoke and Soot Kit

Light soot and smoke film in one or two rooms

  • Dry chemical soot sponges. Lift soot off walls and ceilings without smearing it.
  • HEPA vacuum. Traps fine soot particles instead of blowing them back into the room.
  • Degreaser. Cuts greasy kitchen smoke film that soap alone will not remove.
  • Odor blocking primer. Seals surfaces that still smell after cleaning.
  • Replacement HVAC filters. Change one early and again at the end so the system stops spreading smoke.
  • Drop cloths. Protect floors and furniture from falling soot.

How to use it

Safety and Protection Kit

Any cleanup with dirty water, dust, droppings or damaged power

  • N95 or P100 respirator. Filters mold, soot, ash and dust out of the air you breathe.
  • Rubber boots. Keep dirty water off your skin and give you grip on wet floors.
  • Heavy gloves and nitrile gloves. Protect your hands from sharp debris and contaminated water.
  • Safety glasses or goggles. Keep splashes and dust out of your eyes.
  • Non contact voltage tester. Warns you if a wire or outlet may still be live.
  • Headlamp or flashlight. Keeps both hands free when the power is off.
  • Battery powered CO alarm. Warns you of carbon monoxide when generators or pumps run nearby.
  • First aid kit and hand soap. Clean cuts and wash hands before eating or touching your face.

How to use it

Keep Learning

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General guidance only. When in doubt about electricity, gas, structure or health, get a professional.