Water damage — what to do right now
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. If the building has active electrical or gas hazards, evacuate first. Everything below assumes the situation is safe enough to act on.
Step-by-step, safety-first.
These are the immediate steps EcoClean walks customers through over the phone. None of them involves DIY restoration — just keeping the situation safe and the damage contained until a professional crew arrives.
- Step 01
Shut the water off at the source if you can do it safely. The main shutoff is usually near the meter or where the supply line enters the building.
- Step 02
Open the lowest tap in the building to drain the column of pressurized water above the break.
- Step 03
Move documents, electronics, and anything porous off the floor and out of the wet area.
- Step 04
Photograph the affected area before anything is cleaned up — time-stamped photos are what the insurance carrier wants to see.
- Step 05
Call EcoClean: (630) 945-4181. Tell us where the water came from and how big the affected area is.
- Step 06
If the source is plumbing you can't isolate (burst behind a wall, water heater, sewer line), call a plumber in parallel.
These make the loss worse.
- Don't step into standing water near plugged-in equipment or extension cords.
- Don't attempt to dry hardwood floors or saturated drywall with household fans alone — that's not structural drying and it can spread moisture into dry areas.
- Don't tear out wet drywall before a moisture map is done — selective demo only happens after the wet footprint is confirmed.
- Don't run the HVAC if water is in the duct system or near return-air pulls.
When to call a plumber
- Water is still actively flowing.
- The leak source is a burst pipe, failed water heater, or behind-wall plumbing.
- Sewage is involved — a plumber clears the line, we handle the cleanup.
When to call EcoClean
- Standing water of any volume.
- Drywall, baseboards, carpet, or hardwood are wet beyond the immediate spill.
- Water has migrated to a ceiling on the floor below.
- Documentation needed for the carrier.
Things to know before you cleanup.
If water is dark or smells like sewage, treat it as Category 3 — keep occupants out and don't attempt cleanup without PPE.
If you find mold during cleanup, stop and call us — mold remediation requires containment.
Walk through your situation.
Read the question, find the answer that matches your situation, follow the recommendation. The flow is built around what EcoClean asks customers over the phone.
- Question 01
Is water still flowing?
- Yes — actively flowing
Continue to question 02.
- No — flow has stopped
Continue to question 03.
- Question 02
Shut the water off at the source if you can do it safely
Shut the supply stop closest to the leak. If you can't find it, shut the main water at the meter or street.
If the leak is from a roof, appliance, or fixture you can't isolate, place a bucket and move belongings out from underneath.
- Water is now stopped
Continue to question 03.
- I can't stop it
→ Call us at (630) 945-4181. If the source is plumbing, also call a plumber to stop the leak — we'll handle the drying once the source is controlled.
- Question 03
Is the water clear, dirty, or sewage?
- Clear water from a supply line
Continue to question 04.
- Dirty water from an appliance or sink
Continue to question 05.
- Sewage / dark water / sewer smell
Continue to question 06.
- Question 04
How much water is there?
- A small puddle I can mop up
→ Mop the water, lift anything wet off the floor, and watch the area for the next 24-48 hours. Soft drywall, warped wood, or musty smell means call us at (630) 945-4181.
- More than a puddle, or it has been wet for hours
→ Call us at (630) 945-4181 — we'll extract the water and dry the structure before the wet materials cause secondary damage.
- Question 05
Dirty water from an appliance or sink
Treat this as Category 2 — wear gloves and avoid contact.
Remove anything porous (rugs, fabric, pet beds) that got wet.
- I want a professional to assess it
→ Call us at (630) 945-4181. We'll inspect, extract, and confirm whether materials can be saved or need replacement.
- Question 06
Sewage / dark water / sewer smell
This is Category 3 — the highest hazard class.
Keep occupants out of the area. Do not run any water that drains into the affected lines.
- What do I do?
→ Call us at (630) 945-4181 — sewage cleanup requires PPE, containment, and disposal of porous materials. Do not attempt cleanup without proper protection.
Photos and notes the carrier expects.
Take photos of the source (burst pipe, water heater, appliance) before anything is moved.
Photograph the visible water line on the wall — it's the highest point water reached.
Capture any wet flooring, baseboards, drywall, or ceilings.
Note the time the loss was discovered. Carriers care about when, not just what.
Reference material this triage draws from.
- IICRC S500 — Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification — Standard for Professional Water Damage Restoration
Cited material informs EcoClean’s field practice. Excerpts from copyrighted standards are not reproduced on this page. Nothing on this page is legal, medical, or insurance-coverage advice.
Last reviewed by EcoClean field team — May 16, 2026.
Don’t wait it out. Call us.
Every hour the building stays wet, the scope gets bigger. We’ll be on site in 60–90 minutes.