What to Do After Water Damage: The First 48 Hours in NH

The first 48 hours after water damage

Stop the water, stay clear of wet electrical, photograph everything, then start drying. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold. In a New Hampshire winter, keep the heat on while you do it.

Updated October 29, 2026 · Sources listed at the end

The first hour

Stop the water. Close the valve under the fixture, or the main shutoff in the basement where the line comes through the wall. For a water heater, close the cold inlet on top and turn off its power or gas.
Stay safe around power. Don't walk through water near outlets or a basement panel. If the panel is somewhere wet, call an electrician or the utility.
Photograph before you move things. Wide shots of each room and the source. Then close-ups of stains.
Call your insurer to report the loss, and ask whether they want an adjuster to see it before anything is removed.

The first day

Lift rugs and furniture off wet floors. Put foil or wood blocks under furniture legs.
Mop and wet-vac standing water if it is clean water and you can do it safely.
Keep the heat on. Warm air holds more moisture, so a warm house dries faster than a cold one. In winter, do not open the house up to cold air to "air it out".
Run any dehumidifiers you have with doors closed.
Keep receipts for anything you buy or any hotel nights.

Days two and three

If carpet pad, drywall or insulation got soaked, they usually need to come out for the space behind them to dry. A restoration company uses moisture meters to find the edges of the wet area and leaves drying equipment until readings are back to normal. How restoration works.

If it is sewage or river water

Treat it as contaminated. Keep children and pets out. Wear gloves and boots, and don't try to save porous materials it soaked. Basement flooding and sewer backups.

If it is a frozen pipe

Close the main before the pipe thaws, because that is when it floods. Thaw other lines with gentle heat only; the Red Cross says never with an open flame. Burst and frozen pipes.

Questions Manchester homeowners ask

How long does water damage restoration take?

Drying usually takes at least three days, according to Fixr, and Bob Vila puts it at about 72 hours for most areas. Rebuilding can take several more weeks, depending on how much was removed. Waiting on an insurance adjuster or on materials adds time, and in a New Hampshire winter a house with no heat has to be warmed before it will dry.

How fast does mold grow after water damage?

The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. In a finished basement or a wall cavity behind an ice dam, that rarely happens without dehumidifiers and a moisture meter.

Should I wait for the adjuster before cleaning up?

Don't let water sit while you wait. Report the loss and photograph everything. Then take reasonable steps to prevent more damage; most policies expect that. Keep any material you remove, or photos of it, until the adjuster has seen the file.