DIY vs call-a-pro — at a glance
- Under 10 sq ft, clean water, caught in the first hour: you can probably handle it with a shop vac and towels.
- More than 10 sq ft, OR grey/black water, OR after hour 6, OR affecting drywall/subfloor: call a pro.
- Any mold visible on more than 10 sq ft: call a pro. EPA guidance.
- Any sewage, septic backup, or basement flood: always call a pro — Category 3 water is a health hazard.
- Any insurance claim: call a pro before the carrier. Documentation starts on arrival.
- Call (385) 250-2825 if you’re on the fence. The phone call is free; the wrong DIY often isn’t.
The three categories of water damage
IICRC S500 (the industry standard) splits water damage into three categories by contamination level.
Category 1 — clean water
Supply-line water from a burst pipe or appliance, with no contact with contaminated surfaces. Shut off, extract, dry — DIY-manageable if the area is small and you catch it fast.
Category 2 — grey water
Washing-machine discharge, dishwasher, aquarium, water that has sat long enough to grow microbes. Dirty-water carpet, saturated contents, water that passed through a soiled surface. Call a pro.
Category 3 — black water
Sewage, septic backup, outside flood water, water that has sat more than 48 hours and bred biological hazards. Always a professional job — PPE, sealed containment, disposal of porous materials, EPA-registered disinfectants.
The decision tree
Answer each question in order. If any answer sends you to “call a pro,” stop and call.
- What’s the water source? Supply line → go to #2. Appliance drain or washer → call a pro. Sewer or flood → call a pro.
- How much water? Under 10 sq ft and under 1 inch deep → go to #3. More → call a pro.
- How long has it been there? Under 1 hour → go to #4. More than 6 hours → call a pro. More than 24 → definitely call a pro (mold threshold).
- What’s affected? Just the floor surface → DIY possible. Drywall, subfloor, insulation, or wall cavities → call a pro.
- Insurance claim? If yes → call a pro. Documentation starts on arrival.
What DIY looks like (small clean-water loss)
- Shut off the source — nearest valve or main shut-off.
- Move contents, lift area rugs, pull wet cushions outside.
- Shop vac standing water (never deeper than an inch; replace carpet pad under the wet area).
- Run box fans and a dehumidifier for 48-72 hours.
- Check moisture daily with a cheap pin meter from the hardware store — subfloor and drywall should be under 15% within 72 hours. If not, call a pro.
What pros add that DIY can’t
- Truck-mounted extractors — pull 20x the water of a shop vac per minute.
- Commercial dehumidifiers (LGR) — pull 30+ gallons per day vs 2-5 for a home unit.
- Infrared cameras and moisture meters — see water you can’t, inside walls and under floors.
- Containment — plastic barriers, zipper doors, negative air to prevent cross-contamination.
- Xactimate scope — your insurance company’s own pricing software, so claims settle without back-and-forth.
- Reconstruction — same crew puts the house back together.
- 24-month warranty on the work. See warranty.
Mold rule of thumb
EPA guidance: visible mold under 10 square feet, you can clean it yourself with soap and water and the moisture source fixed. Over 10 square feet, hire a professional. If the mold is hidden (inside a wall, under a floor, in a crawlspace), always a pro — those spaces need containment to work in.
Not sure which side of the line you’re on?
Call (385) 250-2825. We’ll ask a few questions and give you a straight answer, free. If it’s a DIY, we’ll say so.
Water damage timeline · Emergency guide · Mold remediation · Our process
More guides: What if water damage isn’t fixed? · Water meter leak test
Water coming in right now? Our emergency water damage service in Provo answers live 24/7 at (385) 250-2825.