The Effects of 3 Categories of Water Damage On Contents

2/1/2021 (Permalink)

Restoration professionals break down water damage into three categories

Water Damage Categories

The level of contamination in water from a leak or flood determines the severity of the damage. Restoration professionals break down water damage into three categories. Category Two and Category Three water are both contaminated. Here’s what you need to know to assess the full extent of damage at a flooded company.

Category 1 Water Damage
Category One damage involves clean water from a broken pipe and only requires extraction and drying within 24 to 48 hours. There are a limited number of possible sources of treated water in a finished commercial structure:

• Fire suppression system
• Plumbing system
• Water-based appliances

Supply lines that run to commercial bathrooms, water features, fire suppression or appliance systems can all pose a risk of causing Category One damage. Cleanup experts recommend fast drying of a flooded company and extracting moisture with a dehumidifier.

Category 2 Water Damage
The second category of water damage is contaminated, but does not contain solid waste. Biohazardous materials such as chemicals or microbes may be present in Category Two water damage. As a result, a backup of bathroom facilities, major roof leak or any other incident that leads to this type of damage requires disinfection followed by specialized techniques such as dry cleaning delicate contents that have become stained and drying.

Category 3 Water Damage
Two common sources of Category Three water damage include a sewage backup into a commercial structure that has filled with water from one or more external sources. This type of damage calls for thorough disinfection and may require restoration workers to tear out ruined building materials and dispose of irreparably contaminated contents.
Cleanup and restoration measures may vary based on the unique conditions at a flooded company or commercial building. Comprehending the distinctions between these three categories of water damage can help building owners and managers determine mitigation needs.