The water is still coming. That is the job, not the mold
The EPA's rule is to dry wet materials within 24 to 48 hours. Mold cleaned while the source is still running grows straight back. Stop the water, dry the structure, then deal with what is left.
What is probably happening
- A leak, seepage or flooding that has not been stopped, or a wall or floor that was never fully dried.
- Mold is the symptom. Moisture is the cause. Every mold guide, EPA and CDC alike, starts with fixing the water.
- The longer it runs, the more the job turns from a plumbing bill into restoration plus remediation.
Do this in the next five minutes
- Stop the water: main valve for plumbing, tarp for a roof, call the utility if it is a supply line outside.
- Move furniture and boxes off the wet area. Pull up wet rugs.
- Start drying: fans and a dehumidifier, windows open if the outside air is dry.
- Photograph the water, the source and the damage with a timestamp.
- Call your insurer today if the cause was sudden, such as a burst pipe or failed hose.
Do not
- Do not clean or paint the mold yet. It comes back while the wall is wet.
- Do not run the HVAC if the mold is near a return or duct. The EPA says a contaminated system spreads it through the building.
- Do not let a remediator quote until restoration has dried and metered the area. You would be paying twice.
Who to call
A water damage restoration company, and whoever fixes the source
A remediator removes mold. A restoration company stops it forming by drying the structure to a logged moisture reading. You need the second before the first.
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What it should cost
$1,383 to $6,369
Water damage restoration, most homeowners, national average $3,868. If mold has set in, add $1,200 to $3,800
Source: Angi, water damage restoration cost, August 2026. View source
National published range, not a quote for your job. The full cost table for this trade is on the water damage page.
Ask this contractor, on the phone, before anyone comes out
Tap each one as you ask it.
- Which S500 water category and class are you assigning, and why?
- Will you leave a daily moisture log tied to the scope?
- When will you know whether the drywall can be dried or must come out?
- Are you asking me to sign an Assignment of Benefits, and what happens if I do not?
End the call if
- A mold quote before the moisture source is found and fixed.
- A large deposit up front.
- A knock on the door after a storm.