Water and fire damage services
Water damage or fire damage?One call to a local contractor.
Water Damage First is a call-in referral service for homeowners dealing with water, smoke or fire damage. Your call connects you with an independent local restoration contractor, and our guides explain what happens next in plain language.
If you smell gas or see fire, call 911 first.
- Water and floodLeaks, burst pipes, basements and sewage
- Fire and smokeBoard-up, soot, odor and hose water
- Independent contractorsOne call connects you with a local business
- Sourced guidesPlain answers linked to EPA and IICRC
Start here
What is the water or fire doing?
Pick what you are seeing to get the first thing to do and the service that handles it.
1 / 8Water extraction
Standing water on the floor
Stay out if the power is on, stop the source, then get the water out before it soaks further.
Services
Water and fire damage restoration services
Pick a service to see how the work is done, or go straight to emergency first steps.
Our work types
Inside water and fire restoration work
Before and after, by room and type of damage.
BeforeAfterKitchen sink leak
Kitchen floor under a sink before and after drying
Inside the building
Why water damage is usually bigger than it looks
Water follows framing, soaks insulation and sits behind paint that still looks fine. That is why a good inspection measures materials instead of judging surfaces.
See how structural drying reaches those layers, and how to find hidden moisture.
How it works
Three steps from call to dry, clean home
- 1
Make it safe
Stop the water or wait for fire department clearance, then take photos.
- 2
Call
You are connected with an independent local contractor who talks it through with you.
- 3
Restore
The contractor inspects, dries or cleans, and records the work for your insurer.
Safety checklist
Water pouring through, or smelling gas?
Leave the area and turn off water at the main if it is safe. For fire, gas or injury, call 911 first.
Your first move
What to do in the next ten minutes
With a leak, close the main water valve, then turn off power to wet rooms if you can do so without standing in water. With a fire, stay out until the fire department clears the building. In both cases, start taking photos when it is safe, because they are the easiest record to lose once work begins.
Then call your insurer and arrange help. A restoration contractor can inspect the damage, explain the order of work and record what they find. You do not need to know the right vocabulary on the phone. Saying what you can see and when it started is enough.
How it works
How a call to Water Damage First works
You call the number on this site. Your call is connected with an independent contractor, who speaks with you directly about the problem. We are not the contractor, we do not send crews and we do not set the terms of any job. Any agreement is between you and that business.
That means you should ask the same questions you would ask anyone working on your home. Check licensing where your state requires it, ask about insurance, and get the scope of work in writing. Our guides list questions that help.
Quick comparison
What each kind of damage needs first
- Clean water leakClose the valve, remove the water and begin drying within the EPA's 24 to 48 hour window.
- Sewage or floodwaterKeep people out, since porous materials usually have to go. Protective gear is needed.
- House fireWait for clearance, secure the building, then deal with hose water before cleaning.
- Smoke from a nearby fireKeep the HVAC off until checked, and avoid wiping residue until it has been identified.
- Storm-opened roofGet a tarp on from the outside, keep receipts and report the loss.
Service areas
Water and fire damage restoration service area map
Select a pin to see restoration services in that area.
Service areas
Water damage restoration service areas
Choose your state or city to see water and fire damage restoration services there.
Service areaAtlanta
Older intown neighborhoods and aging sewer laterals shape water damage across Atlanta, from Virginia-Highland to Buckhead.
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Service areaCedar Hill
Sudden rain, creek-side runoff and varied home ages shape water damage in Cedar Hill, Texas, from Lake Ridge to Historic Downtown.
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Service areaChicago
Two-flats, courtyard buildings and bungalows change how fire and smoke move in Chicago homes and how restoration gets planned.
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Service areaColorado Springs
Wildfire history and foothill neighborhoods shape fire and smoke damage in Colorado Springs, including homes the flames never reached.
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Service areaConnecticut
Coastal hurricanes, river floods and older multi-family housing shape Connecticut water damage, from Bridgeport three-deckers to Norwalk.
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Service areaDallas
From Lakewood Tudors to Lake Highlands slab ranches and apartments, Dallas housing shapes how fire and smoke damage gets handled.
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Service areaDelaware
Creek floods after Ida, older Wilmington rowhomes and Newark rentals shape water damage across northern Delaware.
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Service areaIndianapolis
Older sewer lines and historic neighborhoods shape water damage in Indianapolis, from Irvington to Broad Ripple.
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Service areaKansas
Kansas River flood history, spring storms and full basements shape water damage in Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City and Johnson County.
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Service areaLake Stevens
A 1,040-acre lake, wet winters and shared-wall housing shape water damage in Lake Stevens, Washington.
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Service areaLouisiana
Hurricanes, heavy rain floods and high humidity shape water damage in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and across Louisiana.
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Service areaNew Hampshire
Ice dams, frozen pipes, wet stone cellars and river floods shape water damage in Manchester, Nashua, Concord and Portsmouth.
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Service areaNorcross
Apartment pipe bursts, Chattahoochee-area storms and a historic downtown shape water damage in Norcross, Georgia.
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Service areaOregon
Long wet seasons, ice storms and river floods shape Oregon water damage, from Portland bungalows to Willamette Valley crawlspace homes.
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Service areaPort Charlotte
Hurricanes Charley and Ian, canal lots and block homes shape water damage in Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda, Florida.
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Service areaProsper
Fast-growing neighborhoods, attic-routed plumbing and spring storms shape water damage in Prosper, Texas.
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Service areas
Water and fire damage services by location
Restoration services by state and city: Oregon, Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Chicago, Dallas, Colorado Springs, Cedar Hill, Lake Stevens, Norcross, Port Charlotte, Prosper, Atlanta, Indianapolis.
Why one site
Water and fire damage are often the same job
A house fire is also a water loss, since hoses leave a lot behind. A burst pipe may mean mold prevention weeks later. Treating these as connected problems helps you ask better questions.
If you are not sure where to start, read what to do after water damage or go to fire damage restoration.
Insurance
A word about coverage
Standard homeowners policies generally treat a sudden pipe break differently from flooding, and sewer backup often needs an endorsement. Fire is commonly covered, but limits and living expense terms vary. Your policy controls, so call your insurer early and keep notes of each conversation. Our adjuster guide shows what to prepare.
Guides
Read before you decide
Written for people in the middle of it.
- Guide
Can Wet Carpet Be Saved?
Wet carpet can sometimes be saved if the water was clean and it dries quickly. Pad usually goes. When sewage or floodwat
Read the guide - Guide
The First 24 Hours After a House Fire
After a house fire: wait for clearance, find safe shelter, call your insurer, secure the property and document everythin
Read the guide - Guide
How Long Drying Takes
Drying often takes several days, but materials, humidity and flood depth change that. What slows the job down, and how y
Read the guide 
GuideHow to Find Hidden Moisture
Hidden moisture shows up as odor, soft baseboards and bubbling paint. How to check walls and floors, and when a meter or
Read the guide- Guide
Plumber or Restoration Contractor?
A plumber stops and fixes the leak. A restoration contractor deals with wet materials. Here is how to decide who to call
Read the guide - Guide
Water Damage Categories Explained
Category 1 is clean, Category 2 significantly contaminated and Category 3 grossly unsanitary. What each means for your h
Read the guide - Guide
Wet Drywall: Save or Replace
Whether wet drywall can stay depends on the water source, how long it sat wet and whether the wall cavity can dry. How t
Read the guide - Guide
What to Do After Water Damage
The first hours after water damage, in order: safety, stopping the source, photos, moving belongings, calling your insur
Read the guide 
GuideWhy Smoke Smell Lingers
Smoke smell lingers because residue sits in porous materials and cavities. What removes it, what only hides it, and why
Read the guide- Guide
Why Sump Pumps Fail
Sump pumps fail from power loss, stuck floats, clogs and age. How to test yours, which backups help and what to do when
Read the guide - Guide
Working With Your Insurance Adjuster
How to prepare for an adjuster after water or fire damage: photos, inventories, receipts, questions to ask, and why floo
Read the guide
Ready to talk?
Call to connect with an independent local contractor.