When do I need a pro to dry out my house after a leak?
Call a pro if the water was sewage or came from outside, if walls, ceilings or a lot of flooring are soaked, if mold covers more than about 10 square feet, or if you cannot get things dry within 24 to 48 hours. A small clean-water spill on a hard floor is a do-it-yourself job.
Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.
By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished
Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.
Step by step
Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.
Step 1: Identify the water
Work out where the water came from. If it was sewage or other contaminated water, call a professional.[2]
Step 2: Check electrical safety
Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water.[3] Call an electrician if water is near outlets or the panel.
Step 3: Measure the wet area
Note how much of the house is wet: a patch of floor, a whole room, or walls and ceilings.
Step 4: Start the clock
Plan to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth.[1]
Step 5: Check for mold
If mold growth covers more than 10 square feet, follow EPA's guidance for larger jobs rather than wiping it down.[1]
Step 6: Call your insurer
Contact your agent or insurer immediately and photograph the damage first.[4]
Step 7: Hire carefully
Get at least three written bids on the same scope and check the licence on DPOR before you sign.[5]
Call a pro when the water was dirty, the wet area is large, the water is inside walls or under floors, mold is already showing, or the house is not drying within a day or two. You can handle a small, clean spill on a hard floor yourself. Everything else is the kind of job where equipment, moisture meters and experience save the house.
The deadline that decides it
The clock is the main reason to call someone. It is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.[1] If you can see that you cannot get the structure dry in that time with a wet vacuum, fans and a dehumidifier, hire a restoration company that day, not on day four.
What counts as a pro job
The water was sewage or otherwise contaminated. If the water and/or mold damage was caused by sewage or other contaminated water, then call in a professional who has experience cleaning and fixing buildings damaged by contaminated water.[2] Floodwater from outside belongs here too: avoid wading in floodwater, which can be contaminated and contain dangerous debris.[3]
The water reached the electrical system. Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water.[3] If water is near outlets, the panel, a furnace or a water heater, have an electrician or the utility make it safe before anyone starts fans.
Walls, ceilings or a lot of flooring are soaked. Drywall, insulation and the space under floors hold water you cannot see. A pro can measure moisture with meters, open the wall where needed, and set drying equipment for the right number of days.
Mold is already growing. If there has been a lot of water damage, and/or mold growth covers more than 10 square feet, consult EPA's Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings.[1] If you believe that you may have a hidden mold problem, consider hiring an experienced professional.[1]
The air handler or ducts were involved. Do not run the HVAC system if you know or suspect that it is contaminated with mold - it could spread mold throughout the building.[1]
Someone in the house is vulnerable. People with asthma and other lung conditions and/or immune suppression should not enter buildings with indoor water leaks or mold growth that can be seen or smelled.[3] Let a pro do the work while they stay elsewhere.
When you can handle it yourself
A broken toilet supply line caught within the hour, a washing machine hose that wet a small tile floor, a spill on a basement slab: when the water is clean and the materials are hard, a wet vacuum, fans and a dehumidifier are usually enough. How to dry out a wet basement after a leak walks through it. If the area does not feel and measure dry after a couple of days, switch to a professional.
Before you hire
Call your insurer first, and take photographs to show the way things look before you begin cleaning and repairing, and be sure to keep receipts for all of your clean-up expenses.[4] Most homeowners policies cover the reasonable costs of emergency clean-up and temporary repairs, but standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage.[4]
DPOR's guide advises you to get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications so you can compare prices and contractors.[5] Check the licence: if the work you are considering is valued at $1,000 or more,[5] a Virginia contractor licence is required. Ask each bidder for the number of drying machines and days, moisture readings at the start and finish, and what is and is not included. Emergency drying should not wait for a rebuild contract, so you can authorise the drying and negotiate the rebuild later.
Stop and call a pro if
- The water was sewage, floodwater or other contaminated water.
- Water is near electrical equipment.
- Walls, ceilings or a lot of flooring are wet.
- Mold covers more than 10 square feet, or you suspect it inside walls.
- The structure is not dry within 24 to 48 hours.
- Someone in the house has asthma or a weakened immune system.
Getting help in Virginia
For what it will cost, read what professional water extraction and drying costs in Virginia, and for the first steps, what to do first after water damage. Browse restoration services or more restoration answers.
When you are ready, describe the damage once and licensed local businesses quote it.
Common questions
- Can I dry out a small leak myself?
- Usually yes, when the water was clean, the wet area is small and on hard surfaces, and you can dry it within 24 to 48 hours. EPA says that if wet or damp materials are dried within that window, in most cases mold will not grow.
- What if the water went into the walls?
- That is the usual reason to call a pro. Moisture behind drywall and under flooring cannot be seen, and a restoration company can measure it. EPA also says to consider hiring an experienced professional if you believe you have a hidden mold problem.
- Is it safe to keep running the furnace or air conditioning?
- Not if you suspect mold. EPA says not to run the HVAC system if you know or suspect that it is contaminated with mold, because it could spread mold throughout the building.
- Does a restoration company need a licence in Virginia?
- A Virginia contractor licence is required for work valued at $1,000 or more, according to DPOR's hiring guide. Look the company up on DPOR's licence lookup before you sign.
- Will insurance pay for a pro to dry my house?
- Often for sudden damage, but standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. Call your insurer and photograph the damage before work begins.
Sources
- [1] A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 27, 2026.
- [2] Mold Cleanup in Your Home, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Checked October 27, 2026.
- [3] Floods, Ready.gov, Federal Emergency Management Agency. Checked October 27, 2026.
- [4] When Disaster Strikes: Insured Homeowner's Loss, Bureau of Insurance, Virginia State Corporation Commission. Checked October 27, 2026.
- [5] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, DPOR. Checked October 27, 2026.
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