Dallas–Fort Worth • Insurance Contents Specialists
Water Damage Contents Packout & Cleaning
Call or Text: 214-718-1685On-site inspections within 24–48 hours. Emergency Packout response available.
Fully insured
General liability & cargo
Workers' comp coverage
On every crew, every job
Climate-controlled storage
Chain-of-custody documented
Direct insurance billing
Xactimate + Direction to Pay
Owner-led operations
20+ years insurance claims
Trusted referral network
Adjusters, mitigation, plumbers
For covered insurance claims, we bill your carrier directly whenever possible — homeowners typically owe no out-of-pocket cost for the contents portion of the loss. Deductibles are owed to your carrier or general contractor, never to us.
Water damage to contents is a clock. Saturated contents that stay on the floor more than 24–48 hours start growing mold, swelling, and lifting finishes. Wood furniture warps. Upholstery wicks moisture into framing. Paper, books, and photographs become unsalvageable. The carrier sees secondary damage as a coverage issue if mitigation was delayed.
Total Packout Solutions runs emergency contents packouts across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex for every flavor of water loss: supply-line bursts, slab leaks, appliance failures, water-heater ruptures, sewer back-ups, roof leaks, and storm intrusion. We get contents off the wet floor and out of the affected rooms before secondary damage takes hold, then handle dry-out, cleaning, storage, and pack-back through the insurance claim.
Step-by-Step
How the Process Works
- 1
Stop the water source
If you can do so safely, shut off the main water valve or the affected supply line. Do not turn on light switches or appliances in standing water.
- 2
Photograph everything before it moves
Wide-angle photos of every affected room. Detail photos of wet contents. The carrier needs this for the claim.
- 3
Call for emergency packout
Call 214-718-1685. Same-day Emergency Packout response. David walks the property, documents the loss, and presents the Work Authorization and Direction to Pay.
- 4
Emergency packout — get contents off the floor
Crews segregate wet vs. dry, salvageable vs. non-salvageable, and remove contents from affected rooms before mitigation runs structural dry-out and demo.
- 5
Dry-out of salvageable items
Wet salvageable items are dried at our facility under controlled conditions. Mold treatment where required.
- 6
Climate-controlled storage
Dried contents go into climate-controlled storage during structural repairs. Wet structural materials stay at the property for mitigation.
- 7
Non-salvage documentation
Items that cannot be restored are documented on a non-salvage list with photo evidence and submitted to the adjuster for contents settlement.
- 8
Pack-back
Contents are returned when the structural rebuild is finished and the affected rooms test dry.
Why time matters more than anything else
Mold growth begins on wet contents within 24–48 hours under typical DFW conditions. Wood furniture absorbs moisture into the joints within hours. Particleboard and MDF furniture starts swelling almost immediately. Upholstered furniture wicks moisture up through the legs and into the framing. The longer contents sit, the more goes into the non-salvageable column.
This is why we run Emergency Packout for active water losses — the value preserved by mobilizing same-day usually dwarfs the entire cost of the packout.
What we segregate on a water packout
Not everything in an affected room is necessarily wet. The packout's first job is segregation so that genuinely affected items get specialized handling and unaffected items are protected during the structural rebuild.
- Wet salvageable — dried at the facility, often cleanable
- Wet non-salvageable — documented and removed (mattresses, upholstered furniture, particleboard)
- Dry but in the affected room — packed and stored to clear the room for mitigation/demo
- Dry and in adjacent unaffected rooms — protected in place or packed for storage depending on rebuild scope
- High-value or specialty — flagged for separate handling (electronics, art, firearms, antiques)
Coverage on water-damage contents
Most water losses (supply-line bursts, appliance failures, slab leaks, sewer back-ups with the right rider, accidental water discharge) are covered under standard HO-3 and HO-5 policies. Flood from rising surface water requires a separate flood policy. Contents packout, dry-out, cleaning, storage, and pack-back are line-itemed in Xactimate. We bill the carrier directly. No out-of-pocket. No deductibles to us.
Specific water-loss scenarios we run
Every water loss has its own pattern. Slab leaks tend to affect contents at floor level across a wide area as the leak surfaces. Appliance failures (dishwasher, washing-machine hose, water heater) concentrate damage near the appliance and downstream. Sewer back-ups require Category 3 (black water) protocols. Roof leaks and storm intrusion concentrate damage at ceilings and beneath them.
- Slab leaks — see /what-happens-after-a-slab-leak-dallas
- Apartment-complex water damage — see /apartment-complex-water-damage
- Furniture during renovation (non-claim) — see /what-happens-to-furniture-during-renovation
Common Questions
Water Damage Contents FAQ
How fast do you need to be on site for a water loss?
As fast as possible. The first 24–48 hours determine how much of the contents are salvageable. We run same-day Emergency Packout response — call 214-718-1685.
What about my furniture — can it be saved?
It depends on the material. Solid wood often survives controlled dry-out. Particleboard, MDF, and most upholstered framing absorb water structurally and are usually non-salvageable. Each item is evaluated and documented.
Will my insurance cover water damage to contents?
Most covered water losses include contents packout, dry-out, cleaning, storage, and pack-back under standard HO-3/HO-5 policies. Flood from rising surface water requires a separate flood policy. We confirm coverage with your adjuster up front.
What about electronics that got wet?
Do not power them on. Specialist cleaning at the contents facility can recover many wet electronics if they have not been powered up. Powering on a wet electronic almost always destroys it.
How long will dry-out take?
Salvageable contents dry under controlled conditions in 3–10 days depending on material. Structural dry-out at the property is run by the mitigation company and typically takes 3–7 days.
Do I have to leave the house?
Depends on scope. Active leaks contained, dehumidifiers running, and limited affected area — often you can stay. Major loss, no plumbing, demolition active — your ALE coverage pays for temporary housing. See /do-i-need-to-move-out-during-repairs-dallas.
Adjusters — how do you scope a water-loss packout same-day?
On-site photo set, wet-vs-dry segregation list, item-level salvageability call, and an Xactimate-coded scope to the loss ZIP. Delivered to your inbox by end of next business day on emergency dispatches.
Property managers — what about Cat 3 (black water) and sewer back-ups?
Cat 3 contents are handled under contamination protocols. Most porous contents in Cat 3 affected areas are documented as non-salvageable for adjuster settlement rather than cleaned.
Mitigation companies — when do you want us on site?
As fast as possible after extraction. Getting contents off the wet floor before dehumidifiers run prevents secondary mold and protects the contents portion of the claim.
Contractors — does pack-back wait for moisture readings?
Yes. Contents return only after the affected rooms test dry and your flooring, paint, and HVAC sign-offs are complete.
Public adjusters — how do you support water-loss representation?
Inventory, photo evidence, drying logs, mold-treatment records, and a non-salvage list with replacement-cost estimates. The PA uses the documentation as negotiation backup with the carrier.
What if mold is found during packout?
Mold-affected items are isolated, documented, and either treated under controlled conditions or written to the non-salvage list. Mold remediation on the structure is run by a mitigation company under separate scope.
How are total-loss water contents handled?
Documented sort-through at the property or facility, photographed non-salvage list, and contents settlement support. The homeowner is not asked to discard anything without documentation.
Every hour costs items. Call 214-718-1685 now — we can have an Emergency Packout crew rolling toward your address today.
Call or Text: 214-718-1685Need immediate help? Start a packout request