Common questions. Straight answers.

Insured losses get billed direct to your carrier by the crew you're matched with, so most homeowners pay only the deductible. Cash jobs vary by scope and square footage. The pro you're matched with sizes up the job on site before quoting.

Sudden and accidental water losses, burst pipes, supply line failures, appliance leaks, storm intrusion, are covered under standard homeowners policies. Long-term seepage, gradual leaks, and outside flood water (without a flood policy) usually are not. The crew you're matched with documents everything from minute one and bills carriers directly on approved claims.

There's no set arrival time we can promise, since every pro in our network runs their own schedule. You can leave a message any time, day or night, and we connect you with someone near you. Response can run longer in the backcountry because of distance.

Yes, pros in our network work with State Farm, Allstate, Farmers, USAA, and most major carriers on direct billing. They document cause-of-loss, scope, and daily moisture readings so claims approve faster.

Three to five days for a typical residential water loss. Day 1 the crew extracts, sets up air movers and dehumidifiers, and takes baseline moisture readings. Days 2-4 they monitor daily and adjust equipment. Day 5 they verify dry standard. Hardwood floors and saturated framing can extend to 7-10 days.

Each piece is sized for a specific job per the IICRC S500 calculation. Air movers move saturated air off the wet material, dehumidifiers pull that moisture out of the air. Too few = wet stays wet. Too many = wasted electricity. The crew does the math.

Please don't. Drying is continuous, every shutoff lets moisture re-equilibrate and adds time to the job. The crew positions equipment to minimize bedroom disruption when possible.

Pin-type moisture meters on wood and drywall, pinless capacitance meters on hard floors. Targets are tied to nearby unaffected materials of the same type. When wet readings match dry readings (or hit IICRC targets), the job is done.

Not if it gets dried properly within 48 hours. Mold needs moisture, organic material, and time. Aggressive extraction plus IICRC-standard drying breaks the chain. The most common mold calls we see are DIY extractions where the drying phase got skipped.

If you can see mold, you don't need a test to confirm it, money is better spent on remediation. Tests make sense when (a) someone has confirmed mold-related health issues, (b) you need documentation for a real estate or legal matter, or (c) you want third-party clearance after remediation. We refer testing to independent industrial hygienists.

Sometimes. If mold grew because of a covered water loss that was professionally dried, most policies cover remediation up to a sub-limit (often $5K-$10K). Long-term seepage mold is usually excluded. California is more restrictive than other states.

Standing water more than ankle-deep, an active leak you can't shut off, sewage backup of any size, flood water from outside the home, and any water near electrical panels (call SDG&E first for live-electric situations). Discovered staining or musty smell from a previous event can usually wait for next business day.

Yes. The line takes a message any hour. Leave your address and what is happening, and you get a call back from San Diego County, not a national answering service. Calls are recorded.

Most pros in our network don't add an after-hours surcharge for a true emergency, since the cost of waiting is usually bigger than any surcharge would be. Ask the pro you're matched with to confirm before they start.

Strongly recommend you don't. Black water carries E. coli, hepatitis A, salmonella, and other pathogens. Without respirator-grade PPE and proper containment, you risk illness and you spread the contamination. Call us, then leave the area until a pro arrives.

The IICRC S500 standard classifies any flood water from outside as Category 3 (black water) regardless of how clean it looks. Flood water carries yard runoff, street oil, pesticides, sewer overflow, animal waste. That's why everything porous below the water line has to come out, not just dry in place.

Generally not under standard homeowners, flood from outside requires a separate NFIP or private flood policy. Sewer/drain backup may be covered if you have a Service Line Coverage or Sewer Backup Coverage endorsement (typically $40-$80/year add-on, $5K-$25K limit).