What to Do When Your House Floods

Step 1: Ensure Your Safety First

Before you touch anything, do a quick safety check. This isn't about your floors or your furniture right now — it's about you.

• •Turn off electricity at the main breaker if you can reach it safely without walking through standing water. Water and electricity are a lethal combination.
• •If water is near electrical outlets, appliances, or your breaker panel and you can't safely reach the panel — leave the house and call 911. Brevard County Fire Rescue responds to these emergencies.
• •If you smell gas, leave immediately. Don't flip any switches. Call 911 and then call your gas company from outside.
• •Wear shoes — even indoors. Floodwater hides sharp debris, broken glass, and contaminated material.

If anyone in your household has mobility issues or if children are present, get everyone to the second floor or out of the house first. Property can be replaced. People can't.

Step 2: Stop the Water Source

If the flooding is from a burst pipe, overflowing appliance, or plumbing failure, your first job is to stop more water from entering your home.

• •Shut off the main water valve. In most Brevard County homes, this is near the front of the house where the water line enters, often near the water meter by the street. Turn the valve clockwise to close it.
• •If it's a specific appliance (water heater, washing machine, dishwasher), turn off the supply valves behind or beneath the appliance.
• •For toilet overflows, remove the tank lid and push down the flapper valve to stop the flow, then shut off the supply valve at the base.

If the flooding is from a storm, hurricane, or rising groundwater, you can't stop the source — but you can still protect yourself and minimize damage with the next steps. During hurricane season (June 1 – November 30), Brevard County residents should have an emergency plan that includes knowing their flood zone and evacuation route.

Step 3: Document Everything Before You Move Anything

This step is critical for your insurance claim — and it's one most people skip in the panic of the moment.

• •Grab your phone and take photos and video of every affected room. Capture the water level, damaged items, and the source if visible.
• •Photograph serial numbers on damaged appliances and electronics.
• •Take wide shots of each room AND close-ups of specific damage.
• •Document any personal belongings that are damaged — furniture, clothing, documents, electronics.
• •If safe, take a photo or video showing where the water is coming from.

Your insurance company will ask for this. Having thorough documentation from the very beginning makes the claims process dramatically smoother. Florida insurers, including Citizens Property Insurance, require detailed documentation — the more you have, the better your outcome.

Step 4: Call a Professional Restoration Company

Here's the truth: consumer-grade fans, shop vacs, and towels are not going to cut it for anything beyond a minor spill. Professional water damage restoration requires commercial-grade water extractors, industrial dehumidifiers, and moisture detection equipment that can find hidden water behind walls and under floors.

When you call a restoration company, they should be able to tell you:

• •How quickly they can arrive (aim for under 2 hours for emergencies)
• •Whether they work directly with your insurance company
• •What their process looks like from start to finish
• •Whether they handle the full scope — extraction, drying, and repairs

Step 5: Protect Your Belongings While You Wait

While you're waiting for the restoration team to arrive, you can minimize damage:

• •Move furniture off wet carpet by placing aluminum foil or plastic under the legs. This prevents staining and further damage.
• •Lift curtains and drapes off the floor. Loop them through a hanger or pin them up.
• •Remove area rugs from wet floors if you can safely do so.
• •Move important documents, photos, medications, and electronics to a dry area — preferably a second floor or dry room.
• •Open closet doors and cabinet doors to promote air circulation.
• •If it's safe and there's no risk of electrocution, turn on fans and your AC to start moving air. Set your AC to 72°F or lower to help reduce humidity.

Step 6: Call Your Insurance Company

Contact your insurance company as soon as possible — ideally within 24 hours. Here's what you need to know about filing a water damage claim in Florida:

• •Standard homeowners policies (HO-3) cover sudden, accidental water damage — burst pipes, appliance failures, and accidental overflows.
• •Flood damage from rising water (storm surge, heavy rain accumulation, river overflow) is NOT covered by standard homeowners insurance. You need a separate flood policy through the NFIP or a private flood insurer.
• •Florida law requires you to mitigate further damage. This means taking reasonable steps (like the ones in this guide) to prevent the situation from getting worse. Failure to do so can affect your claim.
• •Since Florida's 2023 insurance reforms, Assignment of Benefits (AOB) rules have changed. You can still assign benefits to a restoration company, but there are new requirements. Ask your restoration company to explain the process.
• •Keep every receipt. Emergency purchases — fans, tarps, hotel stays, meals if displaced — may be reimbursable under your policy's Additional Living Expenses (ALE) coverage.

If you have Citizens Property Insurance (Florida's state-backed insurer), be aware that they have specific requirements for documentation and mitigation timelines. A professional restoration company experienced with Citizens claims can help ensure you meet all requirements.

What NOT to Do When Your House Floods

In a panic, people make mistakes that make things worse. Avoid these common errors:

When to Call a Professional vs. DIY

Not every water incident requires a restoration company. Here's how to tell:

Brevard County-Specific Flood Resources

Living on Florida's Space Coast means higher water damage risk. Here are local resources every Brevard County homeowner should know:

• •Brevard County Emergency Management: (321) 637-6670 — for evacuation orders, shelter locations, and emergency updates during hurricanes and severe storms.
• •Brevard County Utilities (water shutoff help): (321) 633-2091 — if you can't locate or turn off your main water valve.
• •Florida Division of Emergency Management: FloridaDisaster.org — for state-level emergency declarations and disaster assistance.
• •FEMA Disaster Assistance: DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362 — available after federally declared disasters.
• •Know your flood zone: Visit Brevard County's Property Appraiser website to check your property's FEMA flood zone designation. Properties in zones A, AE, V, and VE are at highest risk.

The Flood Damage Timeline: Why Every Hour Matters

Understanding what happens to your home over time helps explain why fast action is so critical:

Frequently Asked Questions