The Window That Decides Your Outcome
What you do in the three days after a storm shapes both your repair cost and your insurance payout. Mold begins colonizing wet materials in 24 to 72 hours, secondary water intrusion compounds hourly, and adjusters begin scheduling on a first-reported basis.
Independent Restoration Services answers 24/7 in 30+ markets. Call (615) 205-5523.
Hours 0 to 4: Safety First
- Assume every downed line is live. Stay at least 35 feet away and call the utility.
- Do not enter standing water that may be electrified or contaminated.
- Shut off utilities at the main if you smell gas or see damaged wiring, then leave and call from outside.
- Never run a generator indoors or in a garage. The CDC reports carbon monoxide poisoning spikes after every major storm. Keep generators at least 20 feet from the home with the exhaust directed away.
- Watch for structural warning signs: sagging ceilings, bulging walls, and cracked foundations mean stay out.
- Check on neighbors, particularly older residents and anyone medically dependent on power.
Ready.gov maintains post-storm safety guidance worth reviewing before you walk the property.
Hours 4 to 12: Document Everything
Photograph before you move, clean, or discard anything.
- Wide shots of all four exterior elevations
- The roof from ground level and from a window if safe, never by climbing during or right after a storm
- Every interior room, including ceilings and floors
- Close-ups of specific damage with a tape measure in frame
- Damaged contents individually, with model numbers where visible
- Video walkthrough with narration of what you observe
Save weather documentation from the National Weather Service confirming the event date and conditions at your location.
Hours 12 to 24: Report and Secure
- Call your insurer and get a claim number. Report facts only, not conclusions about cause.
- Arrange emergency tarping and board-up. Policies obligate you to prevent further damage, and these costs are reimbursable. See board-up and tarping.
- Start extraction if water is inside. Every hour of standing water expands the affected area.
- Move salvageable contents to a dry area, photographing as you go.
- Keep every receipt, including tarps, hotels, meals, and fuel for a generator.
Hours 24 to 72: Dry, Assess, Protect the Claim
- Get professional drying equipment in place. Household fans do not dry structural materials. Read dehumidifiers vs. air movers.
- Get an independent damage assessment before the adjuster arrives so you can compare scopes.
- Discard nothing without photos and, when possible, adjuster acknowledgment.
- Check the attic and crawl space. Damage hides there and appears months later as mold.
- Watch for water tracking down interior walls from a roof breach far from the visible stain.
Costly Mistakes to Avoid
- Signing with a door-to-door crew. After large events, out-of-area operators canvass hard. Verify licensing and local presence. See contractor red flags.
- Accepting a deductible waiver offer. It is fraud in most states and can void your claim.
- Signing an assignment of benefits without understanding that you may be handing over control of your claim.
- Making permanent repairs before inspection. Temporary protection yes, permanent repair no.
- Waiting for the adjuster before mitigating. Delay-caused mold is commonly denied.
- Throwing out damaged items before they are documented.
Week Two and Beyond
Review the carrier estimate line by line against your contractor scope. Supplements for hidden damage found during demolition are routine. Track your adjuster communication in writing, and understand wind versus flood coverage if water entered at grade.
Call the Team That Answers
Emergency response, documentation, drying, and full reconstruction. Independent Restoration Services at (615) 205-5523, or find your local team.