Standing water does damage by the hour. In the first 60 minutes it wicks into drywall and baseboards. Within a day it delaminates subfloor, swells door frames and soaks insulation. After 48 hours mould starts growing on anything porous that is still wet. The single most important factor in what a water loss ends up costing is how fast the bulk water is out and how fast drying starts. That is what emergency extraction is for.
Our crews are dispatched from a 24/7 live emergency line, not a voicemail. We cover Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Vaughan, Thornhill, Richmond Hill and Markham, and our target is to be on site within 60 minutes of your call. Trucks carry extraction units, air movers, dehumidifiers and containment supplies so the first visit is a working visit, not a look-and-quote.
While the crew is pulling water, a lead technician is documenting the loss: photos, moisture readings, the source and the water category. That record goes to your insurer with a Direction to Pay so you are not paying out of pocket beyond your deductible.
What we do on site
- Confirm the source is stopped and the electrical risk is controlled before anyone enters the water.
- Classify the water as Category 1, 2 or 3 and set the safety and disposal plan accordingly.
- Pump down standing water with submersibles, then extract carpet, pad and hard surfaces with truck-mounted units.
- Pull baseboards and drill weep holes where needed so trapped water behind walls can escape.
- Remove contents that cannot be saved, inventory them, and photograph everything for the claim.
- Place air movers and dehumidifiers sized to the room and take the baseline moisture readings.
- Complete the Direction to Pay with you and send the first loss report to your insurer within 24 hours.
What should I do in the first 30 minutes after I find water in my home?
Stop the source if you can do it safely. For a burst pipe or failed appliance that means the main shutoff valve, usually near the water meter in the basement. If water is near outlets, the panel or any plugged-in equipment, do not walk through it. Turn off the breaker for that area if you can reach the panel dry, otherwise wait for us.
Then call our 24/7 emergency line. While you wait, move what you can to dry ground: electronics, documents, rugs, anything on the floor. Lift furniture onto foil or blocks. Do not use a household vacuum on water, and do not start fans if there is any chance the water came from a drain or the outdoors.
- Shut off the main water valve if the source is plumbing
- Kill power to the wet area only if you can reach the panel without stepping in water
- Call our 24/7 emergency line and describe the source and rough area
- Move electronics, documents and rugs to a dry room
- Photograph the scene before anything is moved, then let us handle the rest
Does it matter where the water came from?
Yes, and it changes everything about how we handle it. The IICRC S500 standard sorts water into three categories. Category 1 is clean water from a supply line, a tub overflow or a water heater. Category 2, often called grey water, comes from washing machines, dishwashers or a toilet overflow with urine only. Category 3, black water, includes sewage, floodwater from outside, and any water that has sat long enough to grow bacteria.
Category 1 water can often be extracted and the materials dried in place. Category 2 and 3 losses require removal of porous materials that touched the water and antimicrobial treatment of what remains. Clean water that sits for more than 48 hours degrades to Category 2, which is one more reason speed matters.
How do you actually remove the water?
For depths over an inch we start with submersible pumps to bring the level down. Then truck-mounted extractors, which pull far more water per minute than any portable unit, handle carpet, pad and hard floors. Weighted extraction tools press the carpet and pad against the subfloor and pull water out of all three layers at once. In tight areas, stairwells and upper floors we use portable extractors.
Extraction is done when a moisture meter, not our eyes, says the floor is at the point where evaporation can take over. That is when air movers and dehumidifiers go in. Removing one more litre by extraction saves hours of drying, so we do not rush this step.
What is the difference between extraction and drying?
Extraction removes liquid water you can see or feel. Drying removes water that has been absorbed into materials, which you cannot pump out. A basement with 5 cm of standing water might take three hours to extract and four days to dry. Both are part of every emergency call. We do not leave a wet house with the equipment still on the truck.
Once extraction is done we place air movers to move air across wet surfaces and dehumidifiers to pull that moisture out of the air. A technician returns daily to log readings and adjust equipment until the structure reaches its dry standard.
Sudden and accidental water escape, such as a burst pipe, failed washing machine hose or water heater rupture, is covered on almost every standard Ontario home policy, including the cost of extraction and drying. Water from outside the home or from a backed-up sewer is only covered if you carry the overland flood or sewer backup endorsement. We identify the source on the first visit, document it for the adjuster, and bill your insurer directly through a Direction to Pay. You pay only your deductible.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can you get to my house?
Our target is to be on site within 60 minutes across Toronto and the GTA. Crews are dispatched directly from the 24/7 emergency line, and trucks are stocked so the first visit is the extraction visit. Travel time can stretch during major storm events when call volume spikes, and we tell you the realistic ETA when you call.
Can I use a shop vac and fans instead of calling a company?
For a small clean-water spill under a few square metres, yes. For anything larger, a shop vac cannot pull water out of carpet pad or subfloor, and household fans without dehumidification just move humid air around. If the water is from a drain or outside, running fans spreads contamination. Extraction equipment rated for water losses removes far more water and gets drying started properly.
Do I need to wait for my insurance adjuster before you start?
No. Every Ontario policy requires you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, and emergency extraction is exactly that. Adjusters expect it. We document everything before and during the work, so the adjuster has the full picture even if they visit days later.
What happens to my carpet and furniture?
Clean-water carpet can usually be extracted and dried in place. The pad underneath often cannot and is replaced. Grey or black water means the carpet and pad come out. Solid wood furniture generally survives if it is lifted and dried quickly. Particleboard and upholstered pieces that sat in water are usually a loss. We inventory and photograph everything so it goes on the claim.
Will you handle the drying and repairs too, or only the water removal?
Both. Drying equipment goes in on the first visit and a technician monitors it daily until the structure is dry. Any tear-out of unsalvageable drywall or flooring happens as part of the same job. When drying is complete, Rebuild Pro Contracting handles the rebuild so you are not coordinating separate trades.