Water damage questions for Meridian homes and businesses
These are the questions the phone line gets most often about water damage in Meridian, with short answers. The longer guides on this site explain the steps in more depth, and the phone line answers anything not covered here at any hour.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Storm, wind and flood water
- Scope explained before work starts
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (833) 490-5225. Or send this and we call you back.
The first few minutes
Where is the main shut-off in an older Meridian house?
Often in a basement, a crawl space or a utility closet near where the water line enters the house. Find it before you need it and keep the route clear.
Should I turn off the power?
If the panel is dry and you can reach it without standing in water, switch off the circuits for the wet rooms. If it is wet or hard to reach, leave it alone and tell the technician on the phone.
What should I photograph first?
The outside of the building, the opening and the inside damage, all before anything is moved. Date each photograph and note where you stood.
Drying and the rebuild
Why does drying take several days?
Materials hold water for a long time, and humid Mississippi air slows the process. The drying runs until the readings show each material is dry.
Can I close the wall after the leak?
Not until the readings show the cavity is dry. Closing a wet wall traps moisture and hides the evidence for the repair and the claim.
Can the carpet be kept?
Sometimes. Carpet that dries in place with its pad removed can be kept. Pad that has soaked through is usually removed. The crew explains the choice before making it.
Insurance and records
Will the crew talk to my insurer?
The crew gives you the photographs, the list, the readings and the scope. Whether it speaks to the insurer depends on your arrangements, so ask the crew what it can provide for the file.
What does the Mississippi Insurance Department do?
It takes consumer complaints about insurers. The claims guide on this site gives the details and the steps to take.
How long should I keep the file?
For as long as the claim and the repairs are open. Your policy and your insurer set the rules for keeping records.
Mold, scope and price
Does drying remove mold?
Drying removes the moisture mold needs, but it does not test for mold or remove growth already present. Mold inspection and remediation are separate work under the rules that apply in Mississippi.
How is the price set?
From the volume of water, how long it sat, the materials it soaked, the access and the drying time. The price is explained and approved before work starts, and no figure is published on this site.
What is in a written scope?
The steps in order, the materials to be removed, the equipment and its expected run, the readings that show the end point and the exclusions.
Question not answered here?
Call and ask. A technician will give you a straight answer, even if the answer is that you do not need us.