Water is essential for sustaining life. Unfortunately, the movement or leakage of that water can also cause costly damage to homes and businesses, as well as health issues in people and animals. When this happens, a need exists for water damage repair done by experts who understand that there are different categories of water, each requiring a its own level of cleanup and restoration.
To better understand the concerns and risks associated with various types of water damage, property owners must know the following three water categories and the degree of destruction and contamination they can cause.
Category 1 - Clean Water
Clean water is clear from the source and fit for human consumption or use, without any notable risks. Water damage from this type of water usually occurs as a result of a burst supply pipe; rain, ice, or snow that leaks into a building; broken toilets or tanks; faucets or other fixtures; or sinks and tubs that have overflowed. It is important to understand that while this liquid is considered to be clean when a leak first begins, the category could change to gray or black afterwards.
Any interaction with chemicals present in building materials, carpeting, flooring, and other items can cause contamination so that it becomes more of a health issue and requires more extensive water damage repair efforts. Heat tends to increase the chance of microorganism growth as does time, further increasing the risk associated with Category 1 damage.
Category 2 - Gray Water
Gray water comes from mostly clean sources that could contain microorganisms or potentially harmful pathogens, so it cannot be considered clean. Examples of sources of Category 2 water damage include overflowed dishwashers or washing machines that were in the process of cleaning a load; overflowed toilets with only urine inside them; sump pump failures; aquarium leaks; and similar sources.
Any treatment with chemicals, bath products, home cleaning agents, or other additives is also considered as contamination, presenting a Category 2 health risk of possible illness or injury.
Category 3 - Black Water
Black water is the most damaging and most likely to cause health concerns in people and animals. This water is very contaminated with either chemicals that can cause serious harm, pathogens, or microorganisms that can cause serious illness or even death.
Considered to be both unsanitary and unsafe, some sources of Category 3 damage include overflowed toilets containing feces or any backflow from behind the trap; sewage; windblown rain that is forced through roofing or building materials; groundwater containing soil, silt, or other contaminants that is pooled or forced through foundations; storm surges; and any amount of fluid over a few inches that sits on the ground for any length of time.
Due to the nature of this damage that poses both health and environmental threats, Category 3 damage requires the most intensive water damage repair.
Water damage can pose a higher or lower amount of a risk and require different levels of repair based on the type that is present. Dealing with this damage requires much more than simply mopping it up. Getting the right water damage repair means working with a company that can correctly identify the source of the damage, classify the the proper water group, and then provide the necessary cleaning and restoration services!