Key takeaways
- Know where your main water shutoff is before an emergency.
- Lift and separate: get wet items off wet floors and away from each other.
- Control humidity; close off the area and run a dehumidifier if you have one.
- Don't use household vacuums, heaters, or open flames to deal with water.
Find and use your shutoffs
The single most useful thing you can know is where your main water shutoff is. In many homes it's where the water line enters the house, in a garage, utility room, or near the water heater. There's usually also a valve at the meter, often in a box near the street, which may require a special key. Individual fixtures and appliances usually have their own valves too.
In Broken Arrow, depending on where you live, water service may come from the City of Broken Arrow or from a rural water district. Your water bill shows which one. It's worth having their number saved if you ever suspect a problem at the meter or in the public line.
Protect floors and furniture
- Move furniture off wet carpet. If you can't, put aluminum foil, plastic lids, or wood blocks under the legs to stop stains and rust from transferring.
- Pull up area rugs and hang them to dry, or move them to a garage.
- Lift curtains and bed skirts off the floor.
- Take books, papers, and photos out of wet areas. Spread them flat or freeze them if they're soaked and you can't dry them right away.
Manage moisture in the air
- Close off the affected area from the rest of the house if you can.
- Run a dehumidifier if you have one, and empty it often.
- If it's cool and dry outside, opening windows can help. If it's hot and humid, keep the house closed and run air conditioning or dehumidification.
- Open cabinet doors and closet doors in wet areas.
Things that make water damage worse
- Using a regular vacuum or carpet shampooer on standing water
- Turning up the heat without removing moisture, which can speed microbial growth
- Walking repeatedly on wet carpet
- Painting over stains or closing walls before confirming they're dry
- Waiting several days to see if it dries on its own
- Using gas generators or pumps indoors or in an attached garage
Carbon monoxide
Never run gas-powered generators, pumps, or pressure washers inside the home or garage, even with doors open. Carbon monoxide is odorless and can be fatal.
When to stop DIY and get help
If water got into walls or ceilings, soaked through carpet to the pad, came from a sewer or outside flooding, or you can't stop the source, it's time to involve professionals. See emergency water damage for what a first visit typically includes.
This guide is general information, not professional, insurance, or legal advice. Conditions in every home differ.