What Should I Do Before Help Arrives?
Before an ALM Services emergency crew arrives, these steps protect your property and your family.
WHAT TO DO:
- Shut Off the Water: If the source is an internal plumbing failure, immediately turn off your main water shutoff valve.
- Cut the Power: Turn off electrical breakers to affected rooms before stepping onto wet carpet, vinyl, or tile.
- Protect Valuables & Furniture: Slip aluminum foil or wooden blocks beneath wood furniture legs. Lift long draperies off wet flooring.
- Document for Insurance: Take clear, well-lit photos and videos of all standing water, damaged drywall, and affected belongings.
WHAT NOT TO DO:
- DO NOT Use Household Vacuums: Never use a standard household vacuum to extract water; doing so poses a severe electrical shock hazard and destroys the unit.
- DO NOT Enter Sagging Rooms: Stay clear of rooms where drywall ceiling panels are bulging or sagging from overhead leaks.
- DO NOT Turn On the HVAC: If water has reached floor vents or air handlers, running central air will spread moisture and airborne spores throughout the entire building.
Water Contamination Categories
Restoration protocol depends on the water’s contamination level:
- Category 1 (Clean Water): From broken supply lines or sink overflows. Lowest risk.
- Category 2 (Grey Water): Contains contaminants (washing machine discharge, dishwasher backup) that can cause illness.
- Category 3 (Black Water): Sewage backups, floodwater, or ground runoff. Highly unsanitary, requires biohazard-level handling.
Finding Hidden Moisture
Water migrates silently — behind baseboards, under slabs, inside wall cavities. We use industrial thermal imaging and moisture meters to map hidden moisture pockets without tearing out drywall or flooring that doesn’t need to come down. That means less demolition, faster drying, and a lower repair bill.
How Structural Drying Works
Household fans move air across the surface — they don’t pull moisture out of framing or subfloor. Structural drying uses high-static-pressure air movers to force bound moisture out of building materials, paired with commercial dehumidifiers that remove gallons of airborne moisture per day. This is the difference between a room that looks dry and one that actually is dry.