After St. Johns River surge or storm water reaches a house, the first hours decide how much is saved. Keep people out of the water, cut power to wet circuits, photograph the damage before anything moves, and call the line. Phones are answered 24/7, and a crew is sent as soon as one is free.
Key takeaways
- Keep people and pets out of standing water, since surge carries silt, fuel and sewage residue from the streets.
- Leave electrical power off to any room with water in it, and let the crew check the panel before it is switched on.
- Photograph the water line, the damage and the source before anything is moved or cleaned.
- Move valuables and papers up, out of the wet area, and keep a list of what was damaged.
- Do not open walls or pull up flooring before the moisture has been measured.
What is the first thing to do when river water comes in?
Get people and pets out of the water and cut off power to any room with water in it. The water may be contaminated, and electrical equipment in it is dangerous. Then call the line and describe the water level and where it came from.
River surge is not clean water. It carries silt, leaves, fuel and whatever the flood has picked up from the streets and yards, and it can carry sewage from overloaded drains. Stay out of it as far as you can, and do not walk through it barefoot or in open shoes.
Power is the most urgent hazard. If the electrical panel or outlets are under water, do not touch them. If you can reach the main switch safely from a dry spot, switch off the power to the house. If not, leave the panel alone and tell the crew, since it will work around a dead circuit rather than a live one.
In what order should the utilities be shut off?
Electricity comes first, then gas if a gas line or appliance is in the water, and the water supply last if a line is leaking. Each step is taken only from a dry, safe position, and the utility company can advise when the meter or the service connection is itself under water.
Electricity is the step that cannot wait and cannot be undone safely in water. If the main switch is reachable from a dry spot, switch off the house's power there. If it is not reachable, or if you are standing in water to reach it, do not attempt it, and call the utility or the line for guidance.
Gas should be turned off only if you smell gas or know a gas appliance was submerged, and then from the outside of the house if you can. Leave the house and call the gas company if you smell gas, and do not switch lights or appliances on or off near a gas leak. Shut the water supply only if a line is visibly leaking, since turning off the main does not drain a house that is already flooded.
What should I photograph before anything is moved?
Photograph the water line on the walls, the depth of the water against a known object, each affected room, and the source if you can see it. The photographs are the record that supports the crew's work and any claim you make, so take them before you clean or remove anything.
The water line is the most useful single picture. Take it from a fixed position with a tape measure or a familiar object in the frame, so the height can be read later. Take a wide picture of each room and a close one of the damage, including the floor, the lower wall and any appliances in the water.
Take a short video as well, walking slowly through each room and the entry point. Keep the originals on the device rather than only sending them, since you may need the full-resolution files later for an insurer or a repair trade.
What can be moved, and what should stay where it is?
Move what is easy to lift and dry: papers, photographs, small electronics and valuables, which go up and out of the wet area. Leave large items where they are until the crew has photographed them, and do not move anything that might be contaminated without gloves.
Papers, documents, photographs and small electronics are the most urgent to move, since they are harmed quickly by moisture and silt. Put them somewhere dry and well ventilated, and do not stack them on a wet surface. Wear gloves and wash your hands afterward.
Furniture and appliances can be raised onto blocks or dry boards to keep their feet out of the water. Do not move a heavy appliance while it is standing in water and while the power is still on. Leave the photographs to show where each item was before it is moved.
When should I call, and what do I tell the line?
Call as soon as the water is in the house, even if it seems to be going down. Tell the line the water level, where it came from, whether it is still rising, which rooms are affected, and whether power or gas is involved. Those answers shape the first visit.
Phones are answered 24/7, and a crew is sent as soon as one is free. During a storm the crew may need to wait until conditions allow it to enter safely, and that decision is made on site. The line can tell you what to do in the meantime.
Have the address, the entry points, the number of floors and a contact number ready. If the house has a crawl space or an attic, mention it, since the water may have reached those spaces as well.
Should I try to dry the house myself?
Opening doors and windows is sometimes useful, but household fans and a dehumidifier from a store rarely reach the cavities and subfloor where the water sits. Wait for the crew to measure the building before you open walls or pull up flooring, since the readings decide what can dry in place.
On a humid day, opening the house to outside air can add moisture faster than the house can shed it. The crew measures the outdoor air before it sets the equipment and may ask you to keep the windows closed while it works.
Do not run a generator inside the house or in a garage that connects to it. Do not use a space heater near wet materials. Keep the work to moving items and taking photographs until the crew arrives.
What happens to the water after the first visit?
The crew removes the standing water, maps the wet materials with meters and a thermal camera, and sets the drying to readings. The categories and the scope are explained to you in the building, and the work is approved before the equipment is run.
Standing water is pumped or vacuumed out from the lowest point first, and the crew then reads the floors, the walls and the subfloor. Materials that cannot be dried to their goal are removed, and the rest are left in place for drying.
You receive the readings, the photographs and the log at each visit. The record shows how the drying is progressing and what the next step is, and it is the document the repair trade and any insurer will ask for.
What about the people and pets in the house?
Keep children and pets out of the wet rooms until the crew has cleaned and dried them, since surge residue is not safe to touch. If anyone has been in contact with the water and has cuts, rashes or an illness afterward, ask a doctor about it.
Wear gloves and a mask when handling wet materials, and wash your hands and any exposed skin after contact. Do not eat or prepare food in rooms that were under water until they have been cleaned and checked.
Pets that walk in the water should be washed afterward, and their paws should be cleaned before they return to dry floors. Keep them away from the wet areas, since they can track the residue through the house.
What should I keep for insurance and repairs?
Keep the photographs, the videos, the list of damaged items, any receipts for emergency measures and the crew's log. This site does not say what a policy covers. Those records help your insurer, and they help the repair trade understand what was there.
Make a list of each damaged item with its approximate age and where it was in the house. Keep the packaging, the receipts and any warranty papers where you can find them, since insurers often ask for them.
The Florida Department of Financial Services takes consumer complaints about insurance claims, and the records you keep are the basis for any such complaint. Ask the insurer what it needs before you discard anything.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to walk through river water to get to my car?
It is not safe to wade through deep or moving water. River surge can carry debris and hidden hazards, and it can contain sewage and fuel residue. If you must cross shallow water, use a stick to test the ground and keep away from any power lines or submerged wires.
Should I keep the water heater on?
No, not while it is standing in water. Turn off the heater and close its cold-water inlet if you can reach them safely, and leave it off until a technician has checked it. A gas heater should be left off at the gas control until it is cleared.
Can I save the furniture?
Some of it, if it is solid and dries without damage. Upholstered furniture, cardboard and fabric that has soaked up river water are usually discarded after they have been photographed. Ask the crew to advise on each item before you decide.
How long should I wait before going back into the house?
Wait until the power is confirmed safe, the structure is confirmed sound and the crew says the rooms are clear. A house with standing water, a sagging ceiling or a damaged floor should not be entered until a qualified person has checked it.
Does the crew handle the silt on the walls?
Yes. Silt is removed from hard surfaces and the lower walls, and porous materials that hold silt are removed rather than cleaned. The cleaning follows the water category, and the crew explains the steps before they start.
What if the water came in overnight and I only found it in the morning?
Act the same way. Keep people out of the water, cut power to any wet circuit you can reach safely, photograph the water line as it stands, and call. Water that has sat overnight has usually soaked further into the floor and the wall base, so mention the time it was found. The crew will read how far it has travelled rather than trusting what the room looks like at first light.
Sources
This guide is general information for Duval County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.