Emergency Water Extraction & Structural Drying Services

  • The #1 Choice in Cleanup and Restoration* 
  • 24/7 Emergency Water Removal 
  • Advanced Water Inspection, Extraction, and Drying Equipment 
  • Residential and Commercial Water Damage Restoration Near You

Here to Help® 24/7

SERVPRO of Potomac
Our Google Reviews
(301) 972-3500
4.8
(61 reviews)

Trusted Water Extraction and Structural Drying Specialists

From a small pipe leak to catastrophic flooding, water can damage the foundation, floors, and walls of your home or business, not to mention the belongings inside. And mold growth can begin in a couple days.   

There’s not a minute to lose. Quick response can keep a bad, potentially hazardous situation from getting worse. At SERVPRO, water extraction (also known as water removal) is a key part of our water damage restoration process. Using powerful pumps and truck-mounted vacuum units, we can quickly remove hundreds or thousands of gallons of water.  

From there, structural drying begins. Using the latest drying systems, from targeted heat to controlled airflow, we’ll make sure your property is dried to the industry standard to maintain structural stability and avoid further damage.

Why Water Extraction and Structural Drying?

Water extraction is exactly what it sounds like: removing excess water from your home or business after a water emergency like a flood, leak, or backup. Structural drying removes any excess, hidden moisture that has been absorbed by structural components throughout the home.  Water extraction and structural drying are essential to:

SERV1429_L1sp_Icons_Light_Mold.svg

Prevent Mold Growth

Mold can start growing in just 24 to 48 hours. Once that growth begins, spores can spread quickly, leading to health risks and expensive cleanup and restoration.

SERV1429_L1sp_Icons_Light_Construction.svg

Minimize Structural Damage

Standing water can weaken the structural integrity of your home or business. This can make your floors, walls, and ceilings warp, deteriorate, and even collapse. Structural repairs can be extremely expensive and disruptive.

SERV1429_L1sp_Icons_Dark_Vandalism_Graffiti.svg

Prevent Odors

Thoroughly drying your home after water damage will reduce the chances of unhealthy mold and mildew, along with the persistent musty smells that come with them. 

SERV1429_L1sp_Icons_Light_Document_Restoration.svg

Preserve Your Belongings

After a water-related event, your furniture, electronics, valuables, and important papers can be damaged or ruined. It’s important to get the contents of your home out of harm’s way.

A professional insurance agent or consultant in a gray blazer meeting with two clients across a glass desk in a modern office, reviewing documents and discussing coverage options.
A professional insurance agent or consultant in a gray blazer meeting with two clients across a glass desk in a modern office, reviewing documents and discussing coverage options.

SERVPRO Helps with the Insurance Claim Process  

At SERVPRO, we understand that property damage can be overwhelming. With decades of experience, SERVPRO can help document damage and provide information related to the services performed that can assist customers during the insurance claim process.    

When property damage occurs, a rapid response can help limit further damage and may reduce overall restoration costs.    

Groundwater flooding is usually covered by flood insurance, not a standard homeowners policy.

What Our Customers Are Saying

Don't just take it from us. Let our customers tell you about their SERVPRO experiences.
61 Reviews
4.8
Leave Us A Review
Kurt L
2 months ago

We have had an excellent experience with ServPro. That tag line of "like it never even happened" is true. We had smoke and fire damage thanks to a fire in a townhouse unit next to ours. The first team came in and cleaned every surface and object in the house. The remaining crews rebuilt the deck and painted it; replaced plywood and shingles; and replaced a sliding glass door. If you were to come by now you would never know there was a fire. The biggest payoff was the worst part of the job for the crew to have to endure: R&R blown-in insulation in the attic; paint all surfaces; blow in new insulation. I don't want to jinx it, but it appears that the awful smoke odor that had been permeating our indoor air was coming from that area. Since the re-do, all we smell is some off-gassing of the paint/insulation. That will abate in time, and is far more preferable to the VOCs from the smoke. We have to clean the ducts next to be safe, and then clean the HVAC equipment. Once that is done, we will be fully restored. I cannot say enough good things about the crews from ServPro. I made some good friends along the way and am so glad I put my faith in their hands. They have an excellent work ethic and delivery of product. Don't hesitate to reach out to them should you find yourself in a similar situation. Thank you.

Guranda Elashvili
3 months ago

Excellent service! The response was prompt and professional. I worked with Viktor’s team, and they did an excellent job. They cleaned up everything in no time. The crew was very friendly, efficient, and customer-oriented. I highly recommend their services.

selma siddiqui
4 months ago

Responsive, reliable, thorough, timely, I really cannot say enough positive things about my experience with this team. After changing management, the approach to dealing with reconstruction and repair work Taken by the new Servpro team is a smooth and relatively straightforward process. Project Manager Mike Tracey took care of my house like it was his house. Down to every detail. Very happy to work with this new Servpro team and Mike. Am now relieved to say that If anything every happens again, I know I have the resource of a reliable honest group in Bethesda Servpro.

Juan Castillo
6 months ago

Deiber Did a great job

Nancy Cioffari
about 1 year ago

ServPro came out immediately that night when we called them with a kitchen leak that ended up creating major damage to our 1st & lower levels. They did a great job in an organized fashion, and a careful approach to taking things out, removing drywall, pulling up hardwood floor, and leaving our home ready to be reconstructed. We worked with Dimass G. from the Lanham/Silver Spring office and he was very professional, explained the process fully, & answered all questions patiently. We would recommend his oversight if given the chance. Other neighbors have used Servpro and were satisfied.

Andrea Stenberg
about 1 year ago

The Servpro team who helped us remediate my parents’ basement was amazing. They really went above expectations. Tatiana Bermudez was wonderful to work with from when she did our very thorough estimate until the day the work was completed. Dimas Mayorga and his team were excellent! They were dedicated, supportive, respectful and very talented. We really appreciated all the hard work he did with his team under difficult circumstances. We would definitely recommend them for any job you need completed and would use them again. Both Tatiana and Dimas have excellent communication skills.

Ariel Pfleiderer
over 1 year ago

We had a leak in our copper pipe behind our kitchen wall and ServPro came out to fix it for us. Victor and his crew were AMAZING. I can't say enough positive things. Victor took the time to understand what we needed as homeowners and engaged with me every step of the remediation process. He allowed me to ask questions as I was interested in learning and he gave me answers I could understand. During the entire day I was able to watch him interact with his crew members. He gave his crew members such respect and guidance and just warmed my heart. I also am trying to learn Spanish and I'm not very good at it at all, but the entire crew helped me and I could tell the appreciated my attempts. When my kids got home from school, he took the time to let them ask questions and even showed them a magic trick. His entire crew paid attention to details (even when it was just using tape) to the scrubbing, and cleaning. I am so glad I was able to watch and learn from his crew today and would 100% recommend him and his crew for any future remediation needs! Update: we had a little issue where the plastic came down and we reached out to Servpro corporate and they recommended reaching out to Victor. We didn't know we could reach out directly to Victor because many times the corporate office said this wasn't an urgent issue. We called Victor on Saturday to see if he could help resolve the issue and felt horrible calling him on a weekend. Victor gave us a call on Sunday morning and scheduled another tech to come by to help with the issue. The issue was resolved on Monday and didn't cause any harm to the house or cause any additional work needing to be done. Victor came today to take the rest of the equipment from our second area and he and his crew were very polite and amazing once again. I do think corporate needs to make the customer aware that we should call our tech first for issues and if we call in to the corporate office to have them to everything to help us rather than putting it back on the customer. If corporate office could have handled this on Saturday and if they weren't able to get someone out here, then they should have called us back - not the customer to have to hound the central office and the tech as they do deserve days off too. Otherwise, it's been great using ServPro and I would definitely use them again and ask for Victor again!

Adrienne Moumin
over 1 year ago

Claudia came back to us for a second assignment clearing construction debris from the grounds after a tree crashed into our house. Again, her communication, attention to detail, and superb organization left us happy and grateful for having her on our property.

Chiffon Graves
over 1 year ago

Alex, Nancy and Irma were awesome. Their professional was outstanding! They handled my items with great care. I would recommend them to my family and friends. I would definitely have them apart of my business! Thank you

SERVPRO Water Extraction & Structural Drying Knowledge Center

What equipment does SERVPRO use for water extraction?

When it comes to water extraction, SERVPRO technicians have both the very latest and the tried-and-true at their disposal: 

  • Moisture detectors, hygrometers, and other meters measure the extent of moisture saturation. 
  • Infrared cameras find “hidden” water behind walls and ceilings. 
  • Submersible and gas-powered pumps are used for continuous pumping of high-level water. 
  • Truck-mounted and portable extraction units perform efficient water removal. 
After water damage, how long does it take for mold to grow?

It’s important to begin water extraction and drying immediately, since mold growth can begin just 24-48 hours after water was introduced to your home.

What’s a sump pump and what does it do?

A sump pump is a mechanical pump, often placed in a basement or crawlspace, to remove water as it accumulates in a sump pit. As the water level rises, it trips a float switch, turns on the pump, and sends the excess water away from the structure. Sump pumps help keep your basement dry and protect your home from water damage.

How long does water extraction take?

In most residential cases, water extraction takes one to three days. It depends on factors such as: 

  • The water source 
  • The amount of water 
  • How much of the home is affected 
  • Affected materials in the home like carpet, furniture, and drywall
What drying equipment does SERVPRO use?

SERVPRO technicians use industrial-grade dehumidifiers to help prevent secondary water damage like swelling and warping of floors, walls, and furniture. They use high-speed air movers to create airflow across walls, carpets, pads, and furniture, in order to accelerate the evaporation of moisture. Moisture mapping is also used to locate hidden areas that need drying. 

After water removal, how long does it take to dry out a home?

The drying process begins after standing water is removed. Drying typically takes three days to a week. But it can take longer, depending on:  

  • Type of material: wood, drywall, and other porous materials soak up more moisture and take longer to dry.  
  • Humidity levels: the higher the humidity, the longer the drying time.  
  • Saturation level: If the home is heavily saturated, drying will take longer (giving mold a chance to grow).  
Is structural drying needed after a small leak?

The amount of water you see may not be the entire picture. What’s important is not just the amount, but where the water went. A small amount of water that enters a wall, cabinetry, or flooring is often harder to detect and completely dry. Over time, that small amount of moisture can weaken the supporting materials in your home.

Should I open my windows to help with structural drying?

When the outside air is too humid, or the property needs to be kept secure, it’s best to keep the windows closed. In the case of a more humid area, such as Florida, opening windows might increase the drying time. 

©Servpro Franchisor, LLC – All services in the U.S. performed by independently owned and operated franchises of Servpro Franchisor, LLC.
©Servpro Industries (Canada) ULC – All services in Canada performed by independently owned and operated franchises of Servpro Industries (Canada) ULC.

Unless otherwise noted, each use of "SERVPRO," “us,” “we,” or “our” throughout servpro.com collectively refers to both the SERVPRO brand and the Servpro Franchise System, which is made up exclusively of independently owned and operated franchise locations.

*#1 Choice in cleanup & restoration based on Commercial and Residential Attitude & Usage Tracking studies. Polling 808 commercial business decision-makers and 1,046 homeowner decision-makers on first choice for future needs related to cleanup & restoration work. Studies conducted by C&R Research: April 2024 and Decision Analyst: April 2024
Variant served: ControlVariant served: Test