Water Damage Categories

Water damage restoration professionals are trained to identify the type of damage, level of damage, and even the category of the water, that caused the damage. This involves going into a home or business after a disaster like a flood, burst pipes, or snow destruction and not just cleaning up the damage, but methodically drying and repairing all the substructures that high volumes of moisture will affect.

Water will slowly destroy anything it has saturated if left untreated

Water can be a very destructive force to plaster and drywall, wood, concrete, and even metal. Mold is always a concern, but other problems exist that are also related to moisture damage; such as crumbling drywall and plaster, weakening structural beams and supports, and rusting metal surfaces. When moisture is left untreated long enough it will eventually destroy the entire structure, reducing it to a pile of rubble. That’s why it is essential to act quickly and call a professional restoration company like Water Damage Minneapolis™ to properly assess the damage and devise a step-by-step plan for restoration and repairs.

IICRC has 3 categories to describe the degree of water contamination

Category 1

This is water from a clean and sanitary source like faucets, toilet tanks, etc. However, Category 1 water can quickly be contaminated and degrade into Category 2.

Category 2

This category used to be called Grey Water. It is described as having a level of contaminates that may cause illness or discomfort if ingested. Category 2 water sources include dishwasher or washing machine overflows, water that has drained from sinks, and toilet overflow without feces.

Category 3

This is the worst classification of water which is grossly unsanitary and could cause severe illness or death if ingested. This category used to be called Black Water and its sources include sewer backup, flooding from rivers or streams, toilet overflow with feces, and stagnant liquid that supports bacterial growth.

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