Types of Water Damage
The water damage in
your home or business needs to be addressed according to the type of water
involved. There are various levels and severity when it comes to water damage,
each one requiring its own unique approach when it comes to drying, cleanup,
and restoration.
Water damage
is basically broken down as follows:
Category 1 Water – Also known as Clean Water, this is
water that is fairly uncontaminated from the source (faucets, toilet tanks,
drinking fountains, etc.) and poses little to no threat if ingested by or
exposed to humans or animals.
Category 2 Water – Also known as Grey Water, this is
water that may contain some contaminants which may cause some illness or
discomfort if ingested by or exposed to humans and animals. Sources of Grey
Water include dishwasher and washing machine runoff, flush from sink drains,
and toilet overflow with some urine but no feces.
Category 3 Water – Also known as Black Water, this is
water that is highly contaminated at the source and may cause serious illness
or discomfort if ingested by or exposed to humans and animals. Black Water is almost always the result of sewage backup or
overflow, flooding
from rivers and streams, toilet overflow with feces, and stagnant liquid that
has begun to support microbial growth.
It is important
to keep in mind that while none of these categories of water will improve on
their own, it is possible for them to become more severe. Category 1 Water may
become a Category 2 if allowed to remain standing and untreated for a given
period of time (usually around 48-72 hours).
Whatever
level of water
damage restoration you may be dealing with, it is imperative that you
contact a qualified, competent, and certified water damage restoration
provider, someone with the training, tools, and techniques to eliminate the
water damage threat in your home or business.
