Emergency Water Extraction in Sun City West — 24/7
Standing water in your house right now? Call (623) 288-6035, shut the water off if it is safe to do so, and keep clear of electrics.
We answer 24/7. Read this page for what to do in the first hour, what we do when we arrive, and what not to do.
Call now: what to tell us
When you call, you speak to our local team, not a call centre. Tell us these five things, and we will talk you through the first steps while we are on our way.
- What happened. A burst pipe, a failed supply line, a water heater that let go, a roof leak in the rain, or a washing machine that overflowed.
- Where the water is. Which rooms are wet, and how deep the water is.
- Whether the water is still running. If it is, we will tell you how to shut it off.
- The address. The house number, street and gate code, if there is one.
- A callback number. A mobile number where we can reach you if the call drops.
If you do not know all five, call anyway. We will work out the rest with you, and we will tell you what to do first.
First 60 minutes: safety, shut-off, photos
The first hour matters most. Water spreads fast, and what you do in the first 60 minutes decides how much of your house gets wet. Do these things in this order, and only if it is safe to do so.
Shut off the water
Turn it off at the main shut-off valve, or at the nearest valve to the leak, if you can reach it safely. The main shut-off is usually near the front of the house, in the garage, or by the water meter. If you cannot find it, or it is in standing water, leave it and call us. We will tell you what to do.
Keep clear of electrics
Do not touch light switches, outlets or appliances with wet hands. Do not step into standing water if it is near an outlet, an appliance or the electrical panel. If water has reached an outlet or the panel, stay out of the room and call us. If you smell burning or see sparking, leave the house and call 911.
Move what you can out of the water
Lift rugs, move small furniture, and pick up anything that sits on the floor and can be ruined by water. Do not use a regular vacuum on standing water. A household vacuum is not made for water, and it can be dangerous. Leave the water for our extractors.
Take photos before anything is moved
Photograph the water, the wet rooms and the damaged items before you move them. Take a wide photo of each room and a close photo of the worst damage. Those photos are the start of your insurance documentation, and they are easier to take now than to remember later.
If you have children or pets, keep them out of the wet rooms until we arrive. Wet floors are slippery, and standing water can hide sharp objects and live wires.
Extraction: pumps, extractors, Category 1/2/3
When we arrive, the first job is to get the standing water out. We bring truck mounted extraction and pumps, and we take the water out before we do anything else. The faster the water comes out, the less of your house gets wet, and the sooner the drying can start.
Category 1: clean water
Category 1 is clean water from a supply line, a tap or a broken pipe that carries clean water. It is the least risky water to deal with. We extract it, we dry the area, and most wet material can be dried in place.
Category 2: grey water
Category 2 is grey water from a washing machine, a dishwasher or a shower drain. It is not clean, and it can carry soap, grease and germs. We extract it, we clean the affected surfaces, and we check the wet material before we decide what can be dried and what has to come out.
Category 3: black water and sewage
Category 3 is black water, which is sewage water or water that has been in contact with sewage. It is handled differently from clean or grey water. We contain the area, we work in protective gear, and the wet material is removed and disposed of, not dried in place. The surfaces are cleaned and disinfected before any drying starts. Do not touch sewage water, and keep children and pets out of the room.
The category decides how we work, not whether we come out. Whatever the water is, call us first, and we will tell you what to do while we are on our way.
Drying starts the same visit
Drying starts on the first visit, as soon as the standing water is out. We place fans and dehumidifiers where the moisture readings say they are needed, not where they look right. The equipment stays in place while the house dries, and we come back to check it.
We take moisture readings every day, and we compare them against a dry standard, which is a reading from a dry part of the same house, or from the same material in a dry room. The job is done when the readings reach the dry standard. Dry is a measurement, not a feeling. A carpet can feel dry while the pad below it is still wet, and drywall can feel dry on the surface while the inside is still damp.
Do not turn the equipment off, and do not move it. The fans and dehumidifiers are placed for a reason, and moving them slows the drying. If a machine stops, or if it is in your way, call us and we will come and sort it out.
The fans and dehumidifiers make noise, and they run day and night while the house dries. That is normal. The noise is the sound of the drying working. If a machine is too loud to sleep near, call us and we will talk through what can be moved and what cannot.
To read about the full service, from extraction to rebuild, see our water damage restoration page.
What NOT to do
In an emergency, the wrong move can make the damage worse. These are the five things not to do while you wait for us.
- Do not wait for it to dry on its own. Water does not dry on its own in a house. It soaks deeper into the floor and the walls, and mold can start in 24 to 48 hours. Call now, even if the leak looks small.
- Do not use a household vacuum or a fan alone on standing water. A household vacuum is not made for water. A fan on its own moves wet air around the house and does not take the water out. Leave the standing water for our extractors.
- Do not touch electrics with wet hands. Do not touch switches, outlets or appliances while your hands are wet, and do not step into standing water near an outlet or the panel. If water has reached an outlet or the panel, stay out of the room.
- Do not tear out drywall yourself. Wet drywall can hide wires and pipes, and tearing it out spreads dirty water and dust through the house. Let us measure what is wet and take out only what has to come out.
- Do not throw away wet items or photos before the insurance documentation is done. Your adjuster needs to see what was damaged. Photograph everything first, keep a list of what was wet, and do not throw anything away until the documentation is done.
Frequently asked questions
These are the four questions we are asked most in an emergency.
What do I do in the first hour?
Call (623) 288-6035, shut off the water if it is safe to do so, and keep clear of electrics. Move what you can out of the water, and take photos before anything is moved. Do not use a regular vacuum on standing water, and do not touch switches with wet hands. We will talk you through the rest while we are on our way.
Is it safe to stay in the house?
Stay out of wet rooms near electrics. Leave the room if water reaches an outlet or the panel, and leave the house if you smell burning or see sparking. Sewage water means leave the room. When in doubt, call (623) 288-6035 and ask. We will tell you whether it is safe to stay.
How is sewage water handled differently?
Sewage water is contained, and we work in protective gear. The affected material is removed and disposed of, not dried in place. The surfaces are cleaned and disinfected, and drying only starts after the cleaning is done. Do not touch sewage water, and keep children and pets out of the room.
Will drying start today?
Yes. Extraction and drying equipment go in on the first visit. We extract the standing water, place fans and dehumidifiers where the readings say they are needed, and take the first moisture readings the same day. Drying starts today, not next week.
Call SunWest Restoration now
Water in your house? Do not wait. Call now and we will talk you through the first steps while we are on our way.