Water damage? Start here.
A practical, no-jargon guide to water intrusion and mold — what to do in the first 48 hours, and how a professional inspection fits in.
When to get an inspection
It's better to be sure. If any of these describe your home, an inspection is the right next step.
Water Intrusion Guide
Mold can appear within 24 to 48 hours of active moisture. Acting fast helps keep the damage small.
The first 48 hours
Follow these steps in order to minimize damage.
Make sure everyone is safe
Electricity and standing water are a lethal combination. If you can reach the breaker from a dry spot, cut power to the affected areas. Never walk through water if you can't see the floor, and keep children and pets out of the space.
Stop the water at the source
Burst pipe or failed water heater: close the main shutoff valve and call a plumber. Roof leak: contain it and call a roofer. River or sewer flooding: don't re-enter until authorities confirm it's safe. No drying matters while water is still coming in.
Remove the standing water
As soon as it's safe, pump or wet-vacuum the water out. Every hour it sits, it soaks deeper into floors, walls, and anything porous.
Dry everything — fast
Fans, dehumidifiers, and open air movement, running non-stop. Surfaces look dry long before drywall, insulation, and subfloors are. The EPA recommends drying everything within 24 to 48 hours; past that window, mold growth is very likely.
Get a mold inspection
Moisture hides inside walls, under floors, and in ceilings long after the surface looks dry. A professional inspection with moisture readings and, where needed, air sampling tells you whether the drying worked or whether mold has already started. Better to catch it as early as possible.
The full roadmap, in the right order
If the water damage is significant, this is the sequence professionals follow. Each step protects the next.
Fix the source
Plumber, roofer, foundation crack repair, or drainage work — whatever keeps water from coming back. Nothing downstream works until this is done.
Mold inspection
Before any work begins, establish what is contaminated, how far it spread, and what stays and what goes. The inspection report is the scope of work every other decision is based on.
Asbestos test
In Québec, most homes built before 1990 contain asbestos in plaster, drywall compound, or insulation. Disturbing those materials releases dangerous fibers — so test before any demolition, not after.
Remediation / decontamination
A trained remediation crew removes contaminated materials safely, working from the inspection report's scope instead of guesswork.
Contractor rebuild
Only once the space is verified clean do you rebuild. Finishing over hidden moisture or mold seals the problem inside your new walls — and guarantees you pay for the same work twice.