Type of Water Damage and Classifications That Can Happen to your Property

2/14/2020 (Permalink)

In this blog, we will be explaining some of the basics of water damage and how they can affect your home and your health. Water damage is the leading offender when it comes to property damage and water restoration needs.

Believe it or not, this actually surprises most people, because when they hear water damage they usually imagine a flood from a nearby river, storm surge from the ocean, or a natural disaster. And, while events as such as those do occur, there are more common ways for water damage to affect your home, and these include:

• Toilet overflows
• Appliance leaks from your refrigerator, washing machine, ice machine, etc.
• Baths, shower and sink overflows or left running without attendance
• Broken/leaky water pipes behind the walls and ceilings
• Drainage issues around the property
• Roof leaks and compromised exterior
• Damage from rain, wind and storms

As you can see, water damage can originate from either external or internal sources and once it gets into your home it is important to know what kind of water you are dealing with. What do we mean by, what kind of water?

At SERVPRO, we recognize water in THREE different categories:

CATEGORY 1 –  We also refer to this as “Clean Water,” means the water originated from a sanitary source and generally will not pose a risk to our health.

CATEGORY 2  – We also refer to this as “Grey Water,” means the water contains some contamination and is not sanitary enough for human consumption and that poses a health risk if ingested.

CATEGORY 3 – Also referred to us in the industry as “Black Water,” is the type of water that is completely contaminated and could contain disease-causing organisms, and other harmful materials.

Now you know the three categories of water and how it can enter into your home. Each are different categories of water damage, and each comes with their own do's and don'ts on how to handle them. Restoration professionals like SERVPRO Bath have advanced training and expertise, and a large amount of hands-on experience to handle any water damage emergency.

So if you need help, call us today!