Restoration companies, matched to the kind of water
Water damage restoration companies all start from the same goal, a dry and safe building, but the job changes with the water. A clean supply line that burst an hour ago is handled differently from rain that sat in a room overnight, and both are different from water that came up out of a toilet or in from a flooded street. HomeAdvisor's 2026 cost guide prices the work by those categories: clean water, gray water and black water, with black water costing the most per square foot to remove and dry.
Dominion Water Damage does not do any of that work. It is a free line that answers the call, asks what happened and passes you to an independent, locally owned company in your area that does. The four pages below explain each kind of call so you know what to ask for and what to expect.
Emergency Water Removal
Water still on the floor or coming through a ceiling right now. The call goes to a local company that can send a crew with pumps, extractors and drying equipment.
Flood Damage Cleanup
Rain, storm surge, a king tide or a canal over its banks pushed outside water in. Floodwater is treated as contaminated, so cleanup is a different job from a pipe leak.
Water Damage Repair
After everything is dry: new drywall, ceilings, baseboards, cabinets and floors, put back by a company that quotes the rebuild in writing.
Mold After Water Damage
Spots, a musty smell or a wall that stayed wet too long. Mention mold on the call and you are sent to a mold specialist. Florida licenses mold assessors and remediators.
Which call is yours?
| What you see | Usually starts as | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Water on the floor, still spreading, or dripping through a ceiling | Emergency water removal | Every hour of standing water soaks deeper into drywall, cabinets and the slab. |
| Water came in from outside: storm, surge, king tide, canal or street | Flood damage cleanup | Floodwater can carry sewage and chemicals, so porous materials it touched usually come out. |
| The water is gone but walls, ceilings, cabinets or floors are ruined | Water damage repair | Rebuilding should wait until moisture readings say the structure is dry. |
| Spots, a musty smell, or a wall that stayed wet for days | Mold after water damage | Florida licenses mold assessment and remediation over 10 square feet. |
What a good company should do on the first visit
- Find and stop the sourceOr confirm it has been stopped, and tell you if a plumber or roofer is needed.
- Measure before it removesMoisture meters and readings show how far the water traveled, often well past the visible stain.
- Explain the plan in writingWhat will be extracted, what will be cut out, how many days of drying, and the price.
- Document for your insurerPhotos, moisture logs and an itemized estimate. Florida Statute 489.147 bars a contractor from giving you a repair agreement under an insurance claim without one.
- Check again before closing upDrying is finished when the readings say so, not on a fixed day.
The EPA's flood cleanup guidance says materials that cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried within 24 to 48 hours should usually be thrown away. That is why the first visit is about speed and the second is about proof.
Say what happened and whether water is still coming in. If you mention mold, the call goes to a mold specialist instead.
About this line: Dominion Water Damage is a free phone line, not a restoration company. It answers your call and connects you with an independent local water damage restoration company, which inspects, quotes and does the work, and which you pay directly. Companies may pay a referral fee. You never pay the line. See how the line works.