Water damage ranges from small leaks to complete flooding. A sewage backup could cause lots of trouble and push wastewater or blackwater back into your facility. A derecho can cause flooding that damages most of your property. To plan the type of water damage response depends on the classification of water. This is based on the amount of contaminants in the water.
Damage caused by water that is generally clean and is not harmful is considered as a category 1 of water damage. It is common to refer to this as clean water damage. The most common causes for a category 1 type of damage are faulty sprinkler systems and leaking water line faucets.
Category 2 includes water that has been contaminated and can cause harm if you try to mitigate the damage without the proper protective gear. This type of water is called gray water and can cause sickness due to the levels of microorganisms and biological matter.
The last category of water is life threatening; it is unsanitary, referred to as black water. It contains dangerous toxigenic agents and pathogens from standing water or raw sewage. If ingested, inhaled, or touched, this type of water can be deadly. Fast response from trained professionals is necessary. Without the proper PPE, exposure to this type of water through the mucous membranes or any cuts and punctures on the body can lead to death. This type of water is referred to as category 3.Time is of the essence when it comes to the flood restoration process. Standing water is the perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow. Also, bacteria and bacterial spores spread quickly, a category 1 can easily become a category 2 or even 3.