When Water Damage Needs a Professional, Not DIY
Water Damage Guides · Drying & Mold
Cleaning Up After Water Damage: What Homeowners Should Not Do
After water damage, the instinct is to start cleaning up straight away, and that instinct is understandable. Water on the floor, wet furniture, and a house that smells damp all demand action, and standing still feels wrong. But some of the most natural responses to water damage are also the most dangerous, and a few of them can make the problem worse, or put the person cleaning at risk. Knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do, and in the first hours after a water event, it matters more.
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This guide explains, in general terms, what homeowners should not do when cleaning up after water damage: do not enter flooded buildings, do not handle electrics in standing water, do not clean up sewage yourself, and do not use a household vacuum on standing water. The right step in each case is to call a professional. The water damage restoration page outlines the professional process, and the same warnings apply in New Orleans and in Baton Rouge.
Do not enter flooded buildings
Do not enter a flooded building, and that is a rule with no exceptions in this guide. A flooded building may have structural damage, hidden hazards under the water, and electrical dangers that cannot be seen from the doorway, and entering it puts the person entering at risk in ways that have nothing to do with the water itself. The water may hide sharp debris, open drains, and sudden drops, and the structure itself may have been weakened by the water. If belongings need to be recovered, or the damage needs to be seen, that is a matter for a professional who can assess the building first.
The same rule applies to rooms where the water is deep enough to hide what is under it, and to any room where the water has reached electrical items. Do not wade through floodwater to reach another part of the house if there is another way round, and if there is no dry route, call for help rather than wading through. If a person is at risk, or there is a danger from gas or electrics, call 911 first, then the utility, and leave the property. The flood damage cleanup page covers flood cleanup in general terms.
Do not handle electrics in standing water
Do not handle electrics in standing water, and do not touch electrical items, switches, sockets or appliances that are in or near water. Water and electricity are a dangerous combination, and the danger is not always visible, because a live cable or a faulty appliance can electrify the water around it without any outward sign. Do not reach into standing water to unplug an appliance, do not switch on a light in a flooded room, and do not wade through water to reach a fuse box or a shut-off. If the power needs to be dealt with, that is a job for the utility or an electrician, and it should only be done from a dry place.
If it is safe to do so from a dry place, the power can be switched off at the main breaker, and the water can be shut off at the main shut-off, also from a dry place. Those are the only electrical and water actions a homeowner should consider, and only when they can be done without entering the water or touching anything wet. If you are unsure whether a place is dry and safe, do not attempt it, and call for help instead. The emergency water removal page covers the removal stage in general terms.
Cleaning Up After Water Damage: What Homeowners Should Not Do — Louisiana water damage guide
Do not clean up sewage yourself
Do not clean up sewage yourself, and do not try to deal with water from a toilet overflow, a sewage backup, or a flood. Sewage and floodwater are treated as Category 3 black water, which is grossly contaminated, and the cleanup for contaminated water is professional-only work. Household cleaning products do not deal with contamination in building materials, and a mop and a bucket deal with the surface while leaving the water that has travelled into wall cavities and under floors untouched. The damp and contamination left behind will cause problems later, including growth in materials that stayed wet.
Avoid contact with the water, keep children and pets away from the affected area, and keep the doors to those rooms closed where that is practical. Do not handle items that have been in the water, because they are contaminated too, and the question of what can be kept and what must be removed is part of the professional assessment. The sewage cleanup page explains the professional-only handling of contaminated water, and the mold removal and remediation page covers the mold side of the work.
Do not use a household vacuum on standing water
Do not use a household vacuum on standing water, because a household vacuum is not designed for water, and using one on standing water can damage the machine, spread contamination through the air, and put the person using it at risk. A vacuum that is used on contaminated water can also carry contamination through the machine and into other rooms, which spreads the problem rather than dealing with it. Water removal needs equipment suited to the job, and that equipment is part of a professional visit, not a household appliance.
The same caution applies to other household shortcuts that seem sensible in the moment. Do not tear out sections of drywall or flooring yourself, because that can spread growth to other parts of the room and does not deal with the moisture behind the surface. Do not paint over a damp wall or a stain, because the paint will not hold and the damp behind it will remain. Do not run a household fan and assume the property is dry, because a fan moves air around a room without pulling moisture out of the structure. Homes in Lafayette and Shreveport follow the same advice.
What to do instead
What to do instead of cleaning up yourself is straightforward: keep everyone away from the water, avoid contact with it, and call a professional. Note when the water event happened, where the water came from, and which rooms were affected, and take photographs to keep a record, from a safe place. Move belongings away from the water only if that can be done safely and without entering flooded areas or handling electrics, and leave the rest for the professional visit. Keep damaged materials until the adjuster advises otherwise, in general terms, because the record matters for insurance purposes.
When you call a professional, describe what happened as plainly as you can, including whether the water came from a flood, a sewage backup, or a clean-water leak, because that changes the cleanup entirely. The same steps apply in Lake Charles and across Louisiana, and the water damage restoration page outlines the professional process that follows.
Key Takeaways
- Do not enter a flooded building, and that is a rule with no exceptions in this guide.
- Do not handle electrics in standing water, and do not touch electrical items, switches, sockets or appliances that are in or near water.
- Do not clean up sewage yourself, and do not try to deal with water from a toilet overflow, a sewage backup, or a flood.
- Do not use a household vacuum on standing water, because a household vacuum is not designed for water, and using one on standing water can damage the machine, spread contamination through the air, and put the person using it at risk.
- What to do instead of cleaning up yourself is straightforward: keep everyone away from the water, avoid contact with it, and call a professional.
Questions About Cleaning Up After Water Damage: What Homeowners Should Not Do
Can I enter my house after it floods?
No. Do not enter a flooded building. It may have structural damage, hidden hazards under the water, and electrical dangers that cannot be seen from the doorway. Call a professional to assess the building first.
Can I use a household vacuum on standing water?
No. A household vacuum is not designed for water, and using one on standing water can damage the machine, spread contamination, and put the person using it at risk. Water removal needs professional equipment.
Can I clean up sewage myself?
No. Sewage and floodwater are treated as Category 3 black water, and cleanup is professional-only work. Avoid contact with the water, keep children and pets away, and call a professional.
What should I do instead of cleaning up myself?
Keep everyone away from the water, note when the event happened and where the water came from, take photographs from a safe place, and call a professional to inspect the property and plan the cleanup.
Your Next Step
If this guide matches what you found at home, the next step is a visit — not a guess. Call and describe what you found, and the visit is arranged from what you describe. The Emergency Water Removal page explains what that service covers, and the water damage restoration page explains how the full sequence works when water has reached more than one room.
Do not enter flooded rooms while you wait, and if water is leaking, turn off the shut-off valve for that fixture where you can reach it safely from dry ground.
Keep the guides on this site bookmarked: the first guide, the signs guide, and the preparation guide cover the checks worth repeating — after moving in, and after bringing used fixtures home.
Water damage help is available across Louisiana. See water damage restoration in Evergreen, LA for one local example, or find your town on the service areas page.
Ready for the Next Step?
Call to arrange a water damage visit in Louisiana. Describe what you found and we will talk through the next step.
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