Rent Drying Equipment or Hire a Dry-Out?

Your options after a clean-water leak

After a leak, you can run the drying yourself or have someone run it for you. HBS gives you three options, and there is an honest fourth answer for losses that need a different kind of help:

1. Rent the equipment and run it yourself: dehumidifiers, air movers, HEPA air scrubbers, moisture meters and hygrometers.
2. Rent the equipment and add the optional professional moisture assessment, with daily moisture monitoring and drying logs added to the assessment if you want them.
3. Ask about the separately scoped water-only drying HBS offers for a clean-water leak.
4. Call an appropriate experienced professional when the water is contaminated, mold is growing, or the building is unsafe.

First: what kind of water, and is it safe?

The decision starts with the water and the building, not the equipment. Rentals and HBS's water-only drying are for clean-water (Category 1) leaks only.

• Clean water from a supply line, faucet, water heater, ice-maker line or air conditioning condensate line is what the IICRC calls Category 1. It does not stay clean forever: a Florida Department of Community Affairs fact sheet based on the IICRC standard notes that time and temperature can degrade it, so water that has sat for days may no longer be clean.
• Gray water, which the IICRC calls Category 2, carries significant contamination: a washing machine or dishwasher overflow, or a toilet overflow without feces.
• Grossly contaminated water, Category 3, includes sewage, rising floodwater from rivers or streams, and seawater or storm surge. For Category 2 or 3 water, the EPA says to call in a professional who has experience with buildings damaged by contaminated water.
• Electricity: if outlets, cords or appliances got wet, turn off power at the main breaker only if you can reach the panel from a dry spot without touching anything wet. If the panel is wet or you would have to stand in water, stay out and call an electrician, as the CDC advises. Have a qualified electrician inspect the system before the power goes back on.
• Structure: the CDC advises staying out of damaged buildings until a building inspector or other authority says they are safe. Treat a sagging ceiling as a structural hazard.

When renting and running it yourself makes sense

A rental is a good fit when all of these are true:

• The water was clean, and the leak is stopped.
• You caught it early. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth.
• The wet area is small, such as one or two rooms, and you can see or measure where the water went.
• Someone can be at the property every day to take moisture readings, check the drain hose and keep doors and windows closed.
• There is a sink, tub, floor drain or outside spot for the dehumidifier's drain hose, and power on more than one circuit.

Plan the setup with the dehumidifier and air mover sizing guide, then follow the homeowner rental guide. Add a moisture meter and hygrometer to the rental, because the readings tell you when to stop. Rentals run by the 24 hours, the week or four weeks, and every unit is cleaned and decontaminated after each rental.

When to add the professional moisture assessment

You can rent and run the equipment yourself and still have the job documented. With the optional professional moisture assessment, an HBS technician visits the property and:

• Records thermal images to find suspect wet areas. A thermal camera shows surface-temperature differences, so every suspect spot is confirmed with a moisture meter.
• Takes moisture readings and maps the moisture in the affected walls, floors and ceilings.
• Records room humidity with a hygrometer.
• Gives you photo and video documentation with a written report you can share with your insurance company.

Daily moisture monitoring with drying logs can be added to an assessment while the equipment runs. This fits when you are not sure how far the water spread, when you plan to file an insurance claim, or when you cannot take readings every day yourself. Prices for both are in the rental rates table.

When a managed dry-out is the better fit

Consider handing the drying to someone else when:

• The water reached several rooms, more than one floor, or a large commercial space.
• Water is likely hidden inside walls, ceilings or cabinet bases, where a fan in the room will not reach it.
• Nobody can check the property every day, such as a vacant rental, a second home or a unit overseen from out of town.
• You want one consistent, documented record for an insurance claim, a condo association or a landlord.

For a clean-water leak, ask HBS about the separately scoped water-only drying it offers through Home & Beyond Services: call (772) 677-1735. The scope is confirmed after HBS reviews the property.

In a condo, check who is responsible before work starts. Florida's Department of Financial Services (DFS) tells unit owners to know the association's bylaws and master insurance policy, because they set what the association covers.

When neither is right: call an experienced professional

Rental equipment and water-only drying are not the answer for every loss. Call an appropriate experienced professional when:

• The water is contaminated: sewage or a toilet backflow, outside floodwater or storm surge, or washing machine or dishwasher water.
• You see mold growing in the area. Do not run air movers there. The EPA recommends professional help for mold covering more than about 10 square feet and says any contractor you hire should have mold cleanup experience.
• You suspect the air conditioning system is contaminated with mold. The EPA says not to run it, because it can spread mold through the building.
• A ceiling sags, or the floor or framing shows other structural damage.
• There is an electrical hazard, such as wet outlets, wiring or a wet electrical panel.

HBS does not offer mold remediation or contaminated-water cleanup, and neither a rental nor HBS's water-only drying includes restoration or repairs. A dehumidifier or HEPA air scrubber does not replace that work.

Documenting the damage for an insurance claim

Whichever path you choose, document the loss as you go. The Florida DFS consumer guides recommend that you:

• Report the claim to your insurance company or agent right away.
• Take photos or video of the damage and of each damaged item, and before and after any emergency repairs.
• Make reasonable emergency repairs to prevent further damage, and save receipts for material and labor.
• List damaged items with product descriptions. Keep damaged property until the adjuster says it can go, unless it is a health risk.
• Keep a phone log with the dates, times and names of everyone you speak with about the claim, and a copy of anything you sign.
• Check your policy for managed repair provisions or preferred vendors before signing a repair contract, and read any contract with a fee based on a percentage of your claim payment carefully.

Under section 627.70132, Florida Statutes, a property insurance claim is barred unless notice reaches the insurer within 1 year after the date of loss. DFS also notes that assignment of benefits contracts are prohibited for residential and commercial property insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2023.

FEMA adds two habits worth keeping: talk to your adjuster or insurer before signing a cleaning or maintenance agreement, and keep samples of damaged carpet or pad.

Keep the HBS quote, invoice and your daily moisture readings with the rest of your records. Renting equipment or adding an assessment does not mean your insurer will pay for it; that depends on your policy and your insurer's decision.

For help with a claim question, call the DFS Insurance Consumer Helpline at 1-877-693-5236 or visit DFS Consumer Services.

Common questions

Can I dry a water leak myself with rented equipment?

Often, yes, for a small clean-water leak that is stopped and caught early, when someone can take moisture readings every day. Sewage or a toilet overflow or backflow, outside floodwater or storm surge, washing machine or dishwasher water, mold growth, sagging ceilings or other structural damage, and electrical hazards call for an appropriate experienced professional instead.

What does the professional moisture assessment include?

An HBS technician visits the property, records thermal images to find suspect wet areas, confirms them with moisture readings and a moisture map, and records room humidity, with photo and video documentation and a written report you can share with your insurance company. Daily moisture monitoring with drying logs can be added. See rental rates.

Can HBS run the dry-out for me?

For a clean-water leak, HBS offers separately scoped water-only drying, confirmed after reviewing the property; call (772) 677-1735 to ask about it. HBS does not offer mold remediation or contaminated-water cleanup, and neither a rental nor HBS's water-only drying includes restoration or repairs.

Will insurance pay for drying equipment rental?

HBS cannot promise that; coverage depends on your policy and your insurer's decision. Florida's Department of Financial Services advises reporting the claim promptly, photographing the damage and keeping receipts, so keep your rental quote, invoice and moisture readings with your records.

What should I document for a water damage insurance claim in Florida?

Florida DFS guidance: report the claim right away, take photos or video of the damage and each damaged item, photograph emergency repairs before and after and keep the receipts, list damaged items, and keep damaged property until the adjuster says it can go unless it is a health risk.