Structural Drying & Dehumidification
Dehumidification, air movement, and targeted drying for wall cavities, block, slabs, and hardwood, tracked with daily moisture readings.
Emergency water removal
Emergency water removal and extraction, down to the pad and the slab
We pump out standing water and pull it from carpet, pad, and grout so drying can start as soon as the floor is clear. Call the 24/7 line and we'll tell you when a crew can be there.
- 24/7 emergency line
- IICRC Certified Firm
- Insurance claim documentation
On call 24/7
Free inspection
Schedule a no-cost on-site inspection. A restoration specialist will contact you within a few minutes to confirm the details.
Request received
Thank you. A restoration specialist will contact you at the number provided to confirm the details. If water is still coming in, call now and we'll walk you through shutting it off.
(954) 289-0566Recognized by
What water removal and extraction involve
Water removal is the first stage of any water loss: getting liquid water out of the building. Removal usually means pumping or vacuuming standing water off the floor. Extraction goes further and pulls water out of carpet, pad, rugs, and the joints and gaps it has seeped into.
Thorough extraction shortens everything that follows. Water pulled out as liquid is gone in minutes, while the same water left behind has to evaporate and be captured by dehumidifiers over several days. Less water left in the floor means fewer days of drying and less material torn out.
South Florida floors make this stage more important. Water on tile over a concrete slab does not drain away; it sits in grout lines, runs under baseboards, and follows the slab into the next room. In a condo tower it finds the gaps around pipes and reaches the unit below, so getting it off the floor quickly limits how many rooms and units end up in the drying plan.
What to look for
Signs the water has soaked in, not just spread out
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Saturated pad under dry-looking carpet
Carpet fibers can feel almost dry while the pad underneath is soaked. Press down hard with your palm; cold or damp means the pad is holding water.
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Wet carpet edges along the walls
Water collects at the perimeter where carpet meets the tack strip, and from there it wicks into the bottom of the drywall and baseboard.
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Grout lines that stay dark
Grout that stays dark after the tile surface dries means water is still in the joints and may be trapped under loose tiles.
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Damp floors in the next room
Water travels under interior walls and along the slab. Damp carpet or baseboards one room over mean the affected area is bigger than it looks.
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Swelling at cabinet bases
Particleboard toe-kicks and cabinet bottoms take on water within hours and start to puff up at the edges.
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Stains on the ceiling below
In a two-story home or a condo, a new stain under the wet area means water has already gone through the floor.
Our process
How we remove and extract water
The equipment depends on how deep the water is, what flooring it is on, and how close our truck can get to the door.
- 01
Make the area safe
We confirm the source is shut off and check for electrical hazards. Power to wet rooms is turned off at the panel before anyone walks through standing water.
- 02
Identify the water category
We determine whether the water is clean (Category 1), carrying some contamination (Category 2), or grossly contaminated like sewage or floodwater (Category 3). That decides the protective gear and what can be saved.
- 03
Pump deep water
Where water is deep, as in a flooded garage or ground-floor unit, submersible pumps move the bulk of it out before the extractors take over.
- 04
Truck-mount or portable extraction
Truck-mounted extractors give the strongest suction and send waste water to a tank on the truck. In high-rise condos, gated communities, or anywhere the hoses cannot reach, portable extractors are carried in and emptied as we go.
- 05
Weighted extraction on carpet and pad
Weighted or stand-on extraction tools compress the carpet so water is pulled out of the pad, not just the surface fibers. We make slow, overlapping passes until little water comes up.
- 06
Decide what stays
Carpet wet with clean water can often be lifted off the tack strip (called floating) and dried in place. Pad soaked by gray water, and carpet and pad touched by sewage or floodwater, are removed.
- 07
Hand off to drying
With the standing water gone, we take moisture readings across floors and walls, photograph the conditions, and set up dehumidifiers and air movers.
Types and causes
Where the water usually comes from
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Water heater failures
A tank that rusts through releases everything it holds, and the supply line keeps refilling it until someone closes the valve.
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Supply line and fitting breaks
A pressurized line keeps flowing until it is shut off, which is why these losses are often largest when no one is home.
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Storm water under doors
Wind-driven rain and rising water push in under exterior doors and sliding glass doors. Water that rose from outside is handled as Category 3.
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Washing machine and dishwasher overflows
Fill and drain failures leave water that is usually Category 2, because it carries detergent, food, or soil.
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Toilet and drain overflows
A toilet overflow without waste may be Category 2. Anything that came up from a sewer line is Category 3 and handled under sewage protocols.
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Water from the unit above
In condo buildings, water travels down through slab penetrations and lands on your floor. We extract your unit and check the ones around it.
Timing
What happens while standing water waits
Water on the floor keeps moving into materials that are harder and slower to dry. Extraction is the step that stops that spread.
- Minutes
Water runs under baseboards and cabinets and into the carpet pad. On a slab it follows the lowest path into the next room.
- First few hours
Drywall starts pulling water upward from the floor, and laminate and particleboard cabinet bases begin to swell.
- 24 hours
Clean water that has been sitting picks up contaminants from the floor and materials and can degrade to Category 2. Carpet backing can begin to separate.
- 48 hours and beyond
Mold becomes likely on materials that are still wet, and a job that needed extraction and drying starts to need demolition.
Why Restoration USA
Why call Restoration USA for water removal
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24/7 emergency line
We answer 24/7, day or night. We walk you through shutting off the water and protecting your belongings while a crew is scheduled.
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IICRC Certified Firm
Extraction follows the IICRC S500 standard for water damage, including how each category of water is handled and what has to be removed.
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Documented from the first photo
Standing water, the source, and the starting moisture readings are photographed and recorded before anything is pulled up.
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Residential and commercial
Single-family homes, condo towers, offices, and retail spaces, each with the extraction setup that fits the building.
Reviews
What clients say
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Karla and her crew came in and made sure that the damage was mitigated and ensured less damage was made to my home. They were thorough and genuine throughout the process
Google review View source
★ Every job is documented: photos, readings, and an itemized scope.
Insurance
Water removal and your insurance claim
Emergency extraction is the kind of step most policies expect you to take right away. Homeowners and condo policies generally require you to protect the property from further damage, and the reasonable cost of doing that is often part of a covered claim.
Before anything is removed, we photograph the water, record its source and category, and take moisture readings. Take your own photos too, and keep any failed part, such as a burst hose or cracked fitting, because your adjuster may ask to see it.
Usually covered
- Sudden pipe bursts and supply-line failures
- Water heater ruptures
- Toilet, sink, and tub overflows
- Appliance and AC overflows
- Burst or accidentally discharged fire sprinklers
- Water that enters through storm damage to the roof or windows
- Mold caused by a covered water loss, often up to a set limit
What we document
- Source of the loss and affected areas
- Daily moisture readings and equipment logs
- Thermal images of hidden moisture
- Every material removed, and why
- Each condo unit and common area, documented separately
- Dated photos and an itemized scope of work
Carriers we've worked with: Citizens Property Insurance, Universal Property & Casualty, Tower Hill Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, USAA, and many more.
Coverage decisions belong to your insurer and depend on your policy. Florida does not allow assignment of benefits on property policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, so you stay in control of your claim.
How water damage claims work in FloridaFAQ
Emergency Water Removal & Extraction: common questions
What should I do before the water removal crew arrives?
Shut off the water at the fixture or the main valve, and turn off breakers to wet rooms if you can reach the panel without standing in water. Move electronics and small furniture off wet floors, slide foil or plastic under the legs of heavy pieces, and pick up rugs and anything sitting on wet carpet. Take photos before you move things, and do not use a household vacuum on water.
Can I handle it with a shop vac?
For a small clean-water spill on tile, a wet/dry vac and towels may be enough. A shop vac cannot pull water out of carpet pad or from under baseboards and cabinets, and it is slow against more than a few gallons. If the water reached carpet, walls, or a second room, it needs professional extraction and drying.
Can my wet carpet be saved?
Often, if the water was clean and extraction starts quickly. Carpet can usually be extracted, floated off the tack strip, and dried in place, although the pad is often replaced because it holds water and is inexpensive to swap. Carpet and pad soaked by sewage or floodwater are removed under the IICRC standard.
Is water extraction the same as water damage restoration?
Extraction is the first part of it. Removal and extraction get the liquid water out, structural drying then dries the materials that absorbed it, and restoration covers cleaning and repairs. We handle all three, but extraction is the stage that cannot wait.
How do you remove water from a high-rise condo?
Truck-mounted hoses usually cannot reach upper floors, so we bring portable extractors and pumps up to the unit. We protect hallways and elevators, coordinate access with building management, and check the units below for water coming through the ceiling.
Related services
Often needed alongside water removal
Water Damage Restoration
Extraction, moisture mapping, and structural drying for leaks, overflows, and floods, with documentation your adjuster can use.
Burst Pipe & Plumbing Leak Water Damage
Extraction, drying, and repairs after supply line breaks, pinhole leaks, slab leaks, and failed valves, coordinated with your plumber.
AC & Appliance Leak Cleanup
Cleanup and drying after AC condensate overflows, water heater failures, and washer, dishwasher, and ice-maker leaks, including damage under cabinets.
Flood Damage Cleanup & Restoration
Category 3 cleanup for storm surge, street flooding, and tidal water: extraction, flood cuts, sanitizing, and drying, documented for a flood claim.
Sewage Backup Cleanup
Containment, removal, sanitizing, and drying after toilet overflows, main line backups, septic failures, and cast-iron drain leaks.
Service areas
Emergency Water Removal & Extraction near you
We cover Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. These are some of the cities where we handle water removal most often.
- Water damage restoration in Fort Lauderdale Broward County
- Water damage restoration in Miami Miami-Dade County
- Water damage restoration in Pembroke Pines Broward County
- Water damage restoration in Sunrise Broward County
- Water damage restoration in Boynton Beach Palm Beach County
- Water damage restoration in Miramar Broward County
- Water damage restoration in Deerfield Beach Broward County
- Water damage restoration in Hollywood Broward County
Don't wait. Go with the pros.
Water in the building right now?
Call the 24/7 line. We will help you stop the source, tell you what to move, and get a crew scheduled. Not urgent? Send a request and we will call you back.
Call 24/7 (954) 289-0566- 1 We answer 24/7, day or night
- 2 We help you stop the water and protect belongings
- 3 We schedule a crew and tell you when to expect them
On call 24/7
Free inspection
Schedule a no-cost on-site inspection. A restoration specialist will contact you within a few minutes to confirm the details.
Request received
Thank you. A restoration specialist will contact you at the number provided to confirm the details. If water is still coming in, call now and we'll walk you through shutting it off.
(954) 289-0566Recognized by