Emergency Water Extraction & Drying in Englewood, CO

Water moves fast. It runs under baseboards, soaks into the bottom of drywall and settles into the gaps between floorboards. What you can see on the floor is only part of the problem. Extraction gets the bulk of it out quickly, and structural drying deals with the water you can't see.

What emergency water extraction includes

• Phone guidance to stop the water and keep everyone safe
• A walk-through to check for electrical hazards and sagging ceilings
• Moisture mapping with meters and infrared cameras to find every wet area
• Extraction of standing water from carpet, pad, tile, vinyl and wood
• Removal of materials that can't be dried, such as soaked pad and swollen baseboard
• Placement of air movers and dehumidifiers sized to the wet area
• Daily moisture readings and equipment adjustments
• Photos and drying logs for your insurance claim

Where the water in Englewood homes usually comes from

Most indoor floods start with plumbing or an appliance, not the weather. In older Englewood houses, the usual suspects are:

• Supply lines and fittings. Galvanized steel pipe in pre-1960 homes rusts from the inside, and a pinhole leak can turn into a split.
• Water heaters. A tank that has reached the end of its life can leak slowly for weeks or fail all at once.
• Washing machine hoses. Rubber hoses crack with age. The IBHS recommends replacing them with braided stainless steel hoses.
• Toilets and sinks. A cracked tank, a failed fill valve or a loose supply line under a vanity.
• Fridge and dishwasher lines. Small leaks under cabinets often go unnoticed until the floor starts to buckle.

Whatever the cause, the first step is the same: shut off the main water valve.

How extraction and drying work

• Stop the source. The main valve is closed, and a plumber is called if the pipe or appliance needs repair.
• Check for safety. Power is shut off to wet areas if outlets, cords or the panel are near water.
• Map the moisture. Readings are taken in the wet area and in a dry reference area of the same home, so there's a clear target.
• Extract. Extraction tools pull water out of carpet and pad, and squeegees and wet vacs clear hard floors.
• Open up what's needed. Wet pad, baseboards and the bottom of drywall may be removed so air can reach the framing.
• Dry. Air movers push air across wet surfaces while dehumidifiers pull moisture out of the air.
• Verify. Equipment comes out only when readings in the wet area match the dry reference.

What affects the cost of water extraction

DIY or call a pro?

You can handle a small, clean spill yourself. Mop it up, run a fan and keep an eye on the area for a few days.

Call a professional if:

• Water reached carpet pad, drywall or the space under cabinets
• More than one room is wet
• The water came from a toilet, a floor drain or anything that smells like sewage
• Water came through a ceiling
• The area was wet for more than a day before you found it

A home dehumidifier helps, but it isn't a substitute for commercial drying. Our guide to using a dehumidifier after water damage explains why.

Insurance notes for water extraction

Most homeowners policies cover sudden and accidental water damage, such as a burst supply line. They usually don't cover slow leaks that went on for months, or flooding from outside the house. To protect your claim:

• Take photos and video before anything is moved
• Keep damaged materials until the adjuster sees them, or photograph them well
• Save receipts for anything you buy, such as fans or a wet vac
• Report the claim promptly

We provide drying logs and moisture readings that show what got wet and when it was dry. For the full checklist, see how to file a water damage insurance claim.

Hardwood and laminate floors

Wood floors need special attention. Hardwood can often be saved with specialized floor drying if it's caught early. Laminate and engineered floors usually can't, because the core swells and doesn't go back. Learn more about saving water-damaged hardwood floors.