Document Before You Clean Up
The photographs you take before cleanup are a record of the loss that you cannot recreate later.
The New York State Department of Financial Services advises you to take photos or video of the damage before cleaning anything up, and to make a room-by-room inventory of damaged items, supported by receipts and statements showing their value.
- Wide shots of each affected room, then close-ups of the damage.
- The water line on walls and furniture, if there is one.
- Damaged belongings, before they are moved or thrown away.
- A written room-by-room list, with receipts or statements showing what things were worth.
Take the photos only when it is safe. If electricity may be involved, stay out and call your power company first (NYS Department of Health).
What to Keep, and What to Wait On
The Department of Financial Services lists several habits that protect a claim (NYS DFS).
- Keep receipts for emergency repairs and for relocation expenses.
- Keep damaged personal property until an insurance settlement has been reached.
- Do not make permanent repairs until the insurer has inspected the loss. Emergency repairs to prevent further damage are allowed.
- Follow up in writing. After phone calls, in-person conversations or adjuster visits, confirm your understanding with the insurer or agent in writing, and keep a record of who you spoke to and when.
Not sure what counts as an emergency step, or what your insurer expects you to do first? Ask your carrier before you start.
Why the Cause of the Water Matters
Insurers treat different sources of water differently, which is why describing exactly what happened matters. According to the NYS Department of Financial Services, the typical homeowners or renter’s policy does not cover flood damage. Water back-up and sewage damage may be covered only if you bought an endorsement for it. Flood coverage typically requires a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy.
The department also notes that a flood policy normally takes effect 30 days after purchase, so it generally cannot be bought after a flood is already on the way.
Water Removal and Drying Alongside the Claim
Documenting damage does not mean waiting while wet materials sit. EPA advises drying water-damaged areas and items within 24–48 hours where possible, because damp materials that dry in that window usually do not grow mold. That is a target worth working toward. It is not a promise that mold cannot grow, and it is not a deadline after which mold appears.
A professional can take moisture readings and photographs as the work goes, which can add to your own record. Tell your insurer you are starting water removal, and ask what they need from you.
If mold turns up
On a New York mold project, H&H performs either the mold assessment or the mold remediation — never both on the same project. See mold services.
What H&H Does and How It Works With Your Insurer
H&H Environmental has operated since 2005. For a water-damage loss, the work falls into these parts. Each is described as a service, not a promise about timing, because every loss is different.
Water extraction. Standing water is removed. (Emergency water extraction)
Removal of wet or damaged materials, where necessary. Materials that cannot be dried are taken out so they do not keep moisture against the structure.
Structural drying and dehumidification. The structure and the air are dried. (Structural drying)
Antimicrobial treatment. Used where it is appropriate.
Monitoring. Drying is monitored so the work continues until the structure is dry.
Documentation and insurance. We work directly with your insurance carrier and provide documentation and direct billing for covered losses. Whether a loss is covered is decided by your policy and your carrier, not by H&H. (Insurance help)
The full list of what we do is on the water damage restoration page.