Water damage restoration & flood cleanup in the GTA
Guardian Emergency Response provides 24/7 water damage restoration in the Greater Toronto Area: extract standing water, map moisture, run monitored drying, and document the loss for insurance.
Common causes of water damage
- Storm damage and foundation seepage
- Flooded basements
- Leaky or burst pipes
- Appliance failures
- Firefighting water after a fire
Our water damage process
- Evaluate — safety, contamination category, and scope.
- Extract & contain — remove water; control dirty water when present.
- Find hidden moisture — map floors, walls, and cavities.
- Dry & monitor — equipment sized to the structure until readings are dry.
Until help arrives
- Photograph damage for insurance
- Move electronics if safe
- Shop-vac standing water if safe
- Circulate air when weather allows
Clean, grey and black water
Restoration work sorts water by how contaminated it is, because that decides what can be dried in place and what has to be removed:
- Category 1 (clean): for example, a broken supply line.
- Category 2 (grey): water with some contamination, such as a washing machine or dishwasher discharge.
- Category 3 (black): grossly contaminated water, such as sewage or floodwater that came through a floor drain.
Clean water that sits, or that picks up contaminants, can be reclassified. Tell us exactly what happened when you call. More: sewage backup vs clean water leak.
Who does what
- Plumber: stops the leak and repairs the pipe.
- Municipality or region: handles the public side of water and sewer lines. In Toronto, report basement flooding to 311, and call 311 for a water turn-off at the property line if your own shut-off valve fails.
- Electric utility or electrician: makes the power safe if water is near outlets or the panel.
- Guardian: removes the water that has already reached floors, walls and cavities, dries the structure and documents it.
What drying involves
Fans on their own rarely dry wall cavities or subfloors. Drying combines extraction, air movers and dehumidifiers with moisture readings taken through the job. How long it takes depends on the materials, how long they stayed wet, the water category and the conditions in the building. Readings, not appearance, decide when a material is dry. See what to do after water damage.
Documentation for your insurer
We keep photos of the affected areas, moisture readings and notes on which materials were dried in place or removed, so your adjuster can see what happened and why. For coverage questions, see homeowners insurance and water damage in Ontario.
Should I wait for the adjuster before drying?
Usually you should mitigate right away to stop further damage, while documenting thoroughly. Ask your insurer for guidance if you are unsure, but do not leave standing water unattended.
Is a burst pipe the plumber's job or a restoration job?
Both. The plumber stops and repairs the pipe. Restoration deals with the water that already spread into floors, walls and contents: extraction, moisture mapping and drying.