The First 5 Steps to Take Immediately
Shut Off the Water Source Right Away
For a single fixture (toilet, sink, or washing machine): Turn the small chrome valve on the wall behind or underneath the fixture clockwise ("righty-tighty") until it stops.
For a water heater: Turn the cold-water supply valve on top of the tank.
For a burst pipe inside a wall or ceiling: Shut off your home's main water valve. In most Grapevine homes, the main shut-off valve is located either inside the garage along an exterior wall, in a downstairs utility closet, or out by the front curb inside the cast-iron City of Grapevine water meter box.
Check for Electrical & Ceiling Hazards
If water is dripping through ceiling light fixtures, ceiling fans, or smoke detectors, flip off the circuit breaker for that room at your breaker panel—do not just flip the wall switch. Never step into standing water if power strips, appliances, or wall outlets are submerged. If a ceiling is sagging heavily like a balloon, stay out from underneath it.
Call Our 24/7 Local Extraction Crew ((817) 839-0491)
Don't wait to see if the carpet will dry on its own over the weekend. Calling right away gets commercial extraction vacuums and dehumidifiers on-site within 45 minutes while the water is still on the surface.
Protect Furniture Legs, Rugs & Loose Items
Pick up throw rugs, curtains touching the floor, shoes, boxes, and electronics. For heavy wood sofas or dining tables sitting on wet carpet, slide squares of aluminum foil, plastic Tupperware lids, or Ziploc bags underneath the wooden legs—wet wood stain bleeds permanently into carpet fibers within an hour.
Take 5 Quick Photos on Your Phone
Before we pull out the standing water, snap a few quick photos or a 15-second video showing the source of the leak and the affected rooms. You don't need to wait days for an insurance adjuster to visit before drying begins—your photos plus our professional moisture logs give your adjuster everything they need.
What NOT To Do After Water Damage
- Don't use your household upright vacuum cleaner on wet carpet—it can shock you and ruin the motor immediately.
- Don't crank up your house heater thinking it will dry the walls—warm air without commercial dehumidification speeds up mold growth dramatically.
- Don't walk around on wet carpet more than necessary—foot traffic grinds water deeper into the foam pad and can stretch the carpet backing off the tack strips.
- Don't touch raw sewage or toilet backflow without protective gear—leave drain backups to our biohazard cleanup crew.