When your property suffers from water damage, there is something that you need to do even before you start cleaning up. It is imperative that you first determine the kind of water damage that you are dealing with. Some levels of water damage can affect your health, so it’s in your best interest to be cautious during your investigation.
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There are three types of water damage.
- Black Water: Known also as Category 3 water, this water is full of contaminants that may cause illness to the humans and animals that are exposed to it. Black water is grossly unsanitary and usually contains sewage components such as excrement. Black water typically contains a large number of bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. Damages caused by black water are extremely hazardous, requiring a professional water damage restoration service for proper cleanup. Unfortunately, there aren’t many ways to save possessions that have been contaminated by black water, and most things will need to be thrown away.
- Gray Water: This type of water damage is known as Category 2. If your property was affected by gray water, you can expect the water to contain some contaminants that may cause some degree of discomfort or illness to those who are exposed to it. Gray water may come from the discharge of a dishwasher or a washing machine. It may also come from toilet runoff or failed sump pumps.
- Clean Water: This is known as Category 1 Water, and it means that the water that affected your property is clean and uncontaminated. If remediated right away, it poses no health risks to humans or animals that are exposed to it. An example of this category of water damage is a broken water line or an overflowing tub or sink. Clean water is a lot easier to remediate because all that needs to be done is to extract the water and let the affected surface dry out.
The three categories of water damage are not permanent, although they may pose very serious problems until they are properly dealt with. Clean water may turn into gray water, while gray water may turn into black water if left untreated for a long period of time. Water damage could change its category within 72 hours if no remediation efforts are taken.
Whenever there is water damage to your property, timing is of paramount importance. A few minutes of not doing anything could aggravate the problem and affect many parts of your home. If the water damage is caused by black water, you should be ready for the possibility that your home might not be salvageable.
The moment you notice water damage to your property, call in your local water damage remediation service and save your property from further damage. A few moments of hesitation could cost you a bundle in home repair.