Frequently Asked Questions

Water overhead is a reason to act quickly because it can sit near electrical fixtures and can soak the materials it passes through. Stay out from under a bulging or sagging ceiling, use your main shut-off valve if you can reach it safely, and tell your insurer about the loss.

You can contact both. Your insurer needs to know about the loss, and a provider can start looking at the source and the damage. MID recommends photographs, temporary repairs to prevent further loss and receipts, so keep records of anything you do.

A stain that stops spreading does not show that the moisture is gone. In FEMA's words, items holding moisture “can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours.” A plumber, a roofer or a provider can look for the source so the stain does not simply return.

Water and electricity together are a hazard. Keep away from wet light fixtures, ceiling fans and outlets, and ask a qualified electrician to look at them before you use them again. Do not touch electrical equipment while standing in water.

Cost depends on the water source, the area affected and the materials involved. Ask each provider for an itemized written estimate and compare it with your insurer's adjuster estimate. No single number fits every leak.

Say where the stain is, when you first saw it, whether it changes during rain, and whether a bathroom, laundry or air conditioner is above it. Share your photographs. That helps the provider judge whether the source is plumbing, roof or something else.

MID says the standard homeowners policy does not cover flood damage and advises checking whether yours covers debris removal and sewer back-up. Your policy wording controls, so ask your insurer or agent about the cause of your loss. MID Consumer Services can be reached at 601-359-2453 or 800-562-2957.

Under Miss. Code §83-17-523, as amended by HB 1174 effective July 1, 2025, a public adjuster may not take more than 10 percent of a settlement. Fees or retainers before settlement are not allowed. Tennessee's cap is a different rule and does not apply in Olive Branch.

A remodeler license is required for residential improvement work above $10,000, and a residential builder license for new residential construction above $50,000. MSBOC says unlicensed residential work is unlawful. For smaller jobs, ask the provider for proof of insurance and any trade license the work requires.

No. This site is an independent guide and referral service that helps homeowners find a local provider. The provider does the work and you decide whom to hire. Ask for proof of insurance and any trade license the job requires, and get the scope in writing before work starts.

Contact the Mississippi Insurance Department, Consumer Services Division, at 601-359-2453 or at 800-562-2957. MID also licenses public adjusters, so it is the office to ask about an adjuster's license. The city offices in Olive Branch handle water, sewer and permits, not insurance.

MID recommends photographs of the damage, temporary repairs to prevent further loss, and receipts for what you spend. Photograph rooms and belongings before you move them, and note when you reported the loss to your insurer. Keep receipts for anything you buy to limit further damage.

FEMA's Ready.gov fact sheet on spring floods says wet carpeting, furniture, bedding and other items holding moisture “can develop mold within 24 to 48 hours.” In EPA's words, ”In most cases, mold will not grow if wet or damp items are dried within 24-48 hours.” CDC advises drying out fully and quickly within 24 to 48 hours after a flood.

Health guidance does not treat routine testing as the first step. The Mississippi State Department of Health says there are few available standards for judging an acceptable quantity of mold, and that sampling is usually done by contractors the homeowner pays. Fix the moisture source and deal with visible mold first, and ask what a test would change before paying for one.

MSBOC lists mold remediation within its commercial Hazardous Materials classification, and its residential classifications do not mention mold. A remodeler license is required for residential improvement work above $10,000, and a residential builder license for new residential construction above $50,000. Ask MSBOC whether your specific job counts as remodeling, and ask the provider for proof of insurance.

No. The Mississippi State Department of Health says it does not perform mold removal, and it says serious mold cases may need professional removal. Homeowners who need removal work contact a provider, so ask for proof of insurance, any required trade license and a written scope.

It depends on your policy wording and on the cause of the water. MID says the standard homeowners policy does not cover flood damage and to check whether yours covers sewer back-up. Ask your insurer about mold directly, or call MID Consumer Services at 601-359-2453 with questions about your rights.

Yes. Sewage and floodwater are a health hazard beyond mold, so keep children and pets out of them. Clean supply water is mainly a moisture and drying problem, while used household water carries more contamination. Ask a provider which kind of water applies to your loss and how contaminated materials are handled.

It depends on the source. For a leak inside the house, use your main shut-off valve if you can reach it safely and tell your insurer. For trouble with city water or sewer service, contact Public Works at 662-893-5208, the city office that handles it.

It is a police dispatch number. The Police Department lists it as an additional phone, and the city directory shows it as the emergency phone for Public Works and Engineering. Use it as the after-hours route to the city for water or sewer trouble, and use 911 for danger to life.

Public Works, at 662-893-5208, is the city contact. The city maintains 98 sewer pump stations and repairs and cleans main sewer lines. Ask Public Works whether the problem is in the city's main or your property's line, and ask your insurer about sewer backup coverage.

Engineering runs the city's Stormwater Hotline at 662-892-9352. Drainage and stormwater are Engineering's subject, while water and sewer service belong to Public Works. If water from outside has entered your home, tell your insurer as well, because MID says the standard homeowners policy does not cover flood damage.

Call Building Inspections at 662-892-9333 to find out whether your particular repair needs a permit. The Mississippi One Call number, 811, is for line locations before digging and is not a repair permit. Also ask any provider you hire what permits the work involves.

No. Utility Billing, at 662-892-9305, handles bills and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For water or sewer trouble, use Public Works at 662-893-5208, or the police dispatch line the city lists, 662-895-4111, after hours. Do not use the billing line for a live leak.