Editorial Standards
How we research, write and review
Homeowners rely on our guidance during a stressful emergency, so we hold it to a clear standard: accurate, practical, and grounded in the sources the restoration industry actually uses.
Last reviewed and updated July 2026
Everything we publish is meant to help you make a good decision quickly when water is where it shouldn't be. Here's how we make sure it's trustworthy.
Who reviews our content
Our water damage guidance is written and reviewed by people experienced in restoration and connected to IICRC-certified professionals. Reviewers check each page for factual accuracy, safety, and whether the advice genuinely reflects how restoration is done in practice — not just what ranks online.
The sources we rely on
We ground our guidance in recognized standards and public authorities rather than opinion:
IICRC standards
The IICRC S500 (water) and S520 (mold) standards that define categories, drying classes and safe practice.
US EPA
Mold cleanup and health guidance, including the widely cited thresholds for professional remediation.
CDC
Health information on mold and floodwater exposure.
FEMA / NFIP
Flood insurance and flood-safety guidance from FEMA.
How we write it
- We research the real questions. We look at what homeowners actually search and ask during a water emergency, then answer those questions directly and completely.
- We favor clarity over jargon. Restoration has a lot of technical terms; we explain them plainly so a stressed homeowner can act.
- We don't fabricate. We do not invent statistics, reviews, credentials or specific prices. Where a figure depends on your situation, we say so and point you to a on-site inspection.
- We separate fact from urgency. Our job is to help you act fast and correctly — never to scare you into a decision.
Accuracy and updates
Standards, insurance rules and best practices change, so we review our pages periodically and update them when guidance changes. Each page shows a "last reviewed" date so you know how current it is.
Corrections
If you spot something that looks wrong or out of date, we want to know. Email help@floodguardpros.com and we'll review it. Accuracy matters more to us than being fast to publish.
A note on our role
FloodGuard Pros is a referral service that connects you with independent, licensed restoration companies for water damage restoration, mold remediation and more. Our content helps you understand your situation; the certified crew you're connected with assesses your specific property and performs the work. Read more about how we work.
Why the first call matters
The first-hour match — water damage is priced by the hour it sat, not by the hour you called
Standing water stops being the problem within a day. What it leaves behind — saturated drywall, wet insulation, a subfloor that keeps giving moisture back into the room — is what the invoice is actually made of, and it grows while the house looks calm.
That is not a failure of homeowners who waited. It is how the trade is arranged: you call a company, it comes when its schedule allows, and the clock keeps running in between. Our line is open every day of the year, and the call reaches an independent licensed and insured restoration company that covers your area now rather than tomorrow. We do not do the work ourselves — we are paid for the introduction, which is set out in how we make money.
Two things decide what this costs, and both are settled in the first hours. Moisture readings and photographs taken before anything is torn out are what an adjuster later accepts or disputes, and mold needs only a day or two of damp material to start. Neither waits for an appointment. And if the water came from outside — a river, a storm surge, groundwater — say so on the call. That is flood, a separate policy that a homeowners policy does not cover, and you should hear it from us before anyone arrives rather than after.