High-Volume Vacuum Extraction & Rapid Flood Pumping.
When water is standing on your floor, every hour pushes it deeper into carpet pad, subfloor and the bottoms of your walls. Our Tulsa crews pump out flood water and extract water from carpet, hardwood, tile and concrete using professional extraction equipment, then hand off to structural drying so what is left does not turn into mold. We answer 24 hours a day and aim to arrive within 60 minutes across Tulsa County.
The First Step
Emergency water extraction is the physical removal of standing and absorbed water from a building using pumps and vacuum extractors, before any drying equipment is set up. Removing liquid water first is far faster than evaporating it, which is why extraction is always the first step after a flood, pipe break or appliance overflow.
When should you call? Any time water is pooled on the floor, soaking carpet, or still coming in. Do not wait for it to dry on its own. Tulsa's humid summers slow natural drying, and mold can begin on damp materials within 24 to 48 hours.
Know What You Are Dealing With
One inch of water looks small, but it is a lot of water. Use this table, or the formula below it.
| Floor area | 1/4 inch of water | 1 inch | 2 inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | about 78 gal | about 312 gal | about 623 gal |
| 1,000 sq ft | about 156 gal | about 623 gal | about 1,247 gal |
| 1,500 sq ft | about 234 gal | about 935 gal | about 1,870 gal |
| 2,000 sq ft | about 312 gal | about 1,247 gal | about 2,494 gal |
Formula: square feet x depth in inches x 0.623 = gallons.
One inch across 1,500 sq ft weighs roughly 7,800 pounds. That is why a "small" flood is not small, and why a shop vac holding 5 to 16 gallons cannot keep up.
The Science
Water is heavy and stubborn. Turning a single pound of liquid water into vapor takes roughly 970 BTU of energy, so dehumidifiers and air movers are built for the moisture left inside materials, not for pools of liquid.
That is why professional crews follow one rule: remove what you can physically remove, then dry what remains. Skipping or rushing extraction stretches drying by days, keeps humidity high and gives mold and odor time to set in.
Extraction also does three things right away:
Pro-Grade Gear
Shop vacs move too little air and too little water to pull moisture out of pad, subfloor and slab. We bring equipment sized to the job.
Vehicle-powered vacuum systems with high lift and airflow let us run long hose lines into multi-level homes and commercial spaces while wastewater goes straight to an outside tank. Best for large carpeted areas and fast whole-floor extraction.
For flooded basements, crawl spaces and ground-level properties with several inches or feet of water, submersible pumps handle silt and debris and move large volumes quickly.
Weighted tools and roving extractors compress carpet and pad while pulling vacuum, so water comes out of the cushion beneath the carpet without tearing up the room.
Sealed-edge wands for tile, vinyl, laminate and concrete pull water from the surface and from grout lines, thresholds and baseboard edges.
After bulk water is out, we check for hidden wet areas in subfloor, wall bases and slab using moisture meters and a thermal camera.
How We Work
We look for electrical hazards and structural risk from soaked ceilings, and shut off the water source if it is still running.
We identify whether the water is clean, gray or black, and how far it has spread. This decides what can be saved.
Pumps or truck-mount lines remove standing water, starting at the lowest points and working outward.
Weighted and hard-surface tools pull water out of carpet, pad, wood and slab. Contaminated pad is cut out and bagged.
We check what is still wet inside floors and wall bottoms so nothing is left behind.
Air movers and dehumidifiers take over to dry remaining moisture. See Water Mitigation.
Know the Labels
Two labels decide how your job is handled. Category describes how contaminated the water is. Class describes how much water there is and how deep it has gone.
| Category | Typical source | Extraction approach |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 (clean) | Supply line, faucet, tub overflow, early rain intrusion | Extract and dry. Carpet and often pad can be saved if work starts quickly |
| Category 2 (gray) | Washing machine, dishwasher, sump pump discharge | Extract and treat. Pad is usually replaced and some materials are discarded |
| Category 3 (black) | Sewage, river or ground flood water, long-standing water | Containment and careful extraction. Porous materials are removed |
Clean water can become a worse category if it sits, usually after about 48 to 72 hours. Flood water entering from outside is treated as Category 3. For sewage, see Sewage Backup Cleanup.
| Class | Meaning | Typical Tulsa example |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Small area, low-absorption materials | Small leak on tile, caught quickly |
| Class 2 | Whole room, carpet and pad wet, water wicking up walls | Washing machine overflow, burst supply line |
| Class 3 | Water from above, ceilings, walls and insulation saturated | Roof leak after a storm, upstairs pipe failure |
| Class 4 | Deeply bound water in dense materials like hardwood, plaster, concrete | Long-term leak or delayed response |
Damage Control
Before We Arrive
Shut off the main water valve (at the meter box near the street, or inside near the water heater).
Turn off breakers only if the panel is dry and you are not standing in water. If water is near the panel or outlets, leave and call PSO or a licensed electrician.
Leave immediately and call Oklahoma Natural Gas or 911.
rugs, small furniture, electronics, paper and valuables.
with foil or wood blocks to stop stain transfer on wet carpet.
Tell us the source, depth, rooms affected and whether anyone is home.
Right Number, Right Problem
| Problem | Who to call |
|---|---|
| Water still coming in from the street side of your meter | City of Tulsa water utility or MyTulsa311 |
| Sewage or water backing up from the street main | City of Tulsa sewer department |
| Power or gas concerns | PSO or Oklahoma Natural Gas, or 911 in an emergency |
| Insurance claim | Your insurer. Questions or complaints: Oklahoma Insurance Department |
| Flood insurance questions | Your NFIP or private flood insurer, or FloodSmart |
| Standing water, wet carpet, flooded basement, pipe break | Us: (918) 347-0890 |
Avoid These
Local Knowledge
Tulsa sits along the Arkansas River and is crossed by creeks that rise quickly in heavy rain. Areas near Riverside Drive, Mingo Creek, Joe Creek and Bird Creek can see street flooding that overwhelms yard drainage and enters garages, basements and ground-floor rooms. The May 1984 flood and the 2019 Arkansas River flooding both affected homes and businesses across the area.
Much of the Tulsa area sits on clay that swells when saturated. Pressure against foundations can push moisture through floor joints, wall bases and slab cracks.
Neighborhoods like Midtown, Maple Ridge, Brookside, Cherry Street and the Pearl District include older houses where aging supply lines, cast-iron drains and water heaters can fail.
Spring storms bring heavy rain, hail and roof leaks that send water through ceilings and into walls.
Hard freezes, like the February 2021 winter storm, can split pipes in attics, exterior walls and crawl spaces and release water while no one is home.
Fast Response Coverage
Not sure we cover your address? Call (918) 347-0890 and we will tell you right away.
Honest Pricing
A quick extraction costs far less than one that waits days, so calling early almost always lowers the final cost. We give an estimate over the phone and again on arrival.
Insurance Claims
Call us first, then your insurer. We start extracting right away so damage does not grow while the claim is opened.
We provide photos, moisture readings and drying records, and work with your adjuster. Coverage is decided by your insurer. Questions about your coverage? Call (918) 347-0890.
Good Judgment
A wet/dry vacuum can handle a small spill on a hard floor. Call a professional when:
Water Extraction FAQ
We run 24/7 emergency dispatch and aim to arrive within 60 minutes in most of the Tulsa metro. Distance, traffic and weather can change that, and we give you an honest arrival time when you call.
For a small spill on a hard floor, yes. For water in carpet, pad or a basement, or more than about an inch deep, a shop vac does not move enough air or water and leaves moisture behind. Never use one near standing water if outlets or cords are involved.
Not always. Pad is often replaced when the water was contaminated or has been wet for a long time. Clean-water pad can sometimes be saved if extracted quickly. A technician tests and decides on site.
Most home extractions take a few hours, depending on the volume of water and how many rooms are affected. Large floods, deep basements and crawl spaces can take longer. Drying after extraction usually takes several more days.
Yes. An inch of water across a typical floor is hundreds of gallons, and it soaks carpet, pad and wall bottoms quickly. Extraction is the fastest way to limit what you have to replace.
Yes. Flood water from outside can carry bacteria, chemicals and debris, and is treated as contaminated. Avoid contact, wear boots and gloves, and keep children and pets away until it is removed.
Shut off the main water if the source is inside. Turn off power to the area at the breaker only if you can do so safely without standing in water. If water has reached the panel or meter, stay out and call your power utility or a licensed electrician. Move valuables off the floor and take photos.
Often, if the water was sudden and accidental. Flood from outside is usually excluded unless you have flood insurance. Call us to start extraction immediately, then contact your insurer. Do not wait for approval before limiting the damage.
Yes, using submersible pumps, followed by extraction and drying. See Flooded Basement & Crawl Space Cleanup.
Yes. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Do Not Wait
Pumps and extraction crews are on call 24/7. The sooner the water is out, the more of your floors and walls we can save.
24/7 Emergency Helpline
(918) 347-0890