Water Damage FAQ: Florida Answers From the Crew That Does the Work

The process follows the ANSI/IICRC S500 standard: inspection and moisture mapping, emergency water extraction, removal of unsalvageable wet materials, structural drying with air movers and dehumidifiers, daily moisture monitoring, then cleaning, repairs and a final verified walkthrough. Each step is documented with photos and readings for your records and your insurance claim.

Most homes reach drying goals in 3 to 5 days. Hardwood, plaster, concrete and tile assemblies over wood subfloors can take longer. Your technician checks moisture levels daily, adjusts equipment as readings change, and only removes the dryers when the structure measurably meets its drying goal, not when a fixed number of days has passed.

Usually not. Extraction and drying typically run in the affected rooms while you keep using the rest of the home. Equipment is loud and rooms under drying are off limits, but most families stay. If the water is contaminated, damage spans most of the home, or utilities are shut off, we will tell you honestly if a short stay elsewhere is the safer call.

Usually, if the cause was sudden and accidental: a burst pipe, a failed water heater, an appliance hose that let go. Gradual leaks, long-term seepage and poor maintenance are typically excluded, and water that rises from outside the home is flood damage, which requires a separate flood policy. We document cause and damage thoroughly so your adjuster has what they need either way.

Under current Florida law, you generally have one year from the date of loss to give your insurer notice of a claim, and up to 18 months from the date of loss to file a supplemental claim if additional related damage is discovered. Report early anyway: fresh documentation is stronger, and late notice is one of the most common reasons claims get disputed.

No. For Florida policies issued or renewed after January 1, 2023, Assignment of Benefits agreements are prohibited. You stay in control of your claim, and your insurer pays you. We support the claim with documentation, photos, moisture logs and an Xactimate scope, and we communicate with your adjuster, but the claim and the decisions remain yours.

Replace rubber washing machine and refrigerator supply hoses with braided steel lines, keep the AC condensate drain line flushed so it cannot back up into your walls, service the water heater, and know exactly where your main shutoff valve is before you ever need it. These four habits prevent or shrink the majority of the losses our crews respond to.

Shut off the main water supply whenever the property will sit empty, install a leak detection system with automatic shutoff, and have a local contact check the property after major storms. The worst losses we see are not the biggest leaks; they are ordinary leaks in empty homes that ran for weeks. A $30 hose failure becomes a $30,000 renovation when nobody is home.

Walk the ceilings and exterior walls looking for stains, bubbling paint or dripping, check around windows and sliding doors for intrusion, and look in the attic for wet insulation if any roofing was damaged. Wind-driven rain enters in surprising places. Photograph anything you find and call for a free moisture inspection if you see staining or smell mustiness.