Water Damage Restoration In Troy – Categories Of Water

While all water damage situations require restoration, not all water damage situations are the same. In fact, there are different classes and categories of water damage – each varying in severity. Categories of water damage are primarily defined by the type of water that caused the damage. The higher the category, the more contaminated the water is. Knowing the source of the water can help to identify which type of water you are dealing with and help you take the necessary precautions. Let’s look at each category and what they could mean for your water damage restoration in Troy.

Water Damage Restoration in Troy

Category 1 Water Damage

Category 1 water is often referred to as ‘clean water’ because it comes from a sanitary source. Sources of category 1 water damage include water from broken supply lines, toilet tanks, faucets, and water heater tanks. This type of water has little to no contaminants since it comes from a clean source, and is the most straightforward to restore.

Cleaning up category 1 water damage still needs to happen as soon as possible though, because the longer water sits the worse the damage gets. If not removed or cleaned up in a timely manner, category 1 water damage can degrade into a category 2 situation becoming contaminated water that may facilitate microbial growth. The best way to handle category 1 water damage restoration is to have it cleaned up as quickly as possible by the trained professionals at On-Site Cleaning and Restoration in Troy.

Category 2 Water Damage

Category 2 water is referred to as ‘gray water’ because it contains some degree of contamination and may cause illness if ingested. Gray water comes from a source that is not considered sanitary, for example, washing machine overflow, dishwasher overflow, garbage disposal overflow, or a toilet overflow not containing feces. These sources likely contain unsafe levels of contaminants, microorganisms, and other toxins.

This type of water is dangerous to your health and the health of all those exposed to it. Contact with category 2 water should be avoided, and water damage restoration of this type should be left to the professionals at On-Site Cleaning. Just like with category 1 water damage, category 2 water damage needs to be cleaned up as soon as possible to prevent further problems from arising and to keep category 2 water from escalating into a category 3 water damage situation.

Category 3 Water Damage

Category 3 water is referred to as ‘black water’ because it is grossly contaminated water that comes from unsanitary sources. Possible sources of black water could be toilet bowl overflow containing feces, sewer backup, flooding from rivers, streams, or canals, wind-driven rain, or water that has begun to support and facilitate microbial growth.

Blackwater may contain human or animal waste products, biohazardous chemicals, and other toxins that could cause severe illness and even death if ingested. Blackwater is dangerous and should be treated as such. Do not come into contact with black water since it can be teeming with disease-causing viruses and could result in serious illness. If you need water damage restoration from category 3 water, call On-Site Cleaning right away. 

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