3 Categories of Water That Can Cause Damage to Your Home

9/13/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Midtown Memphis

Any kind of water damage in your Midtown Memphis  home is likely to cause you a fair amount of stress and frustration, but not all water damage is the same. Contaminated water can bring additional problems. Depending on the category of water involved, how it should be handled will vary. There are three different categories of water that you should be aware of.

1. Clean Water
The easiest type of water damage  to remove is that caused by clean water which is also known as category 1. This is the water that will usually come from sources like faucets, pipes and supply lines. Like other categories of water, it should be removed as quickly as possible to prevent secondary damage like mold or rust, but it does not contain harmful contaminants.

2. Gray Water
Category 2 water is also called gray water and is moderately contaminated. Chemical contaminants may be present in this water. When appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers break, this is the category of water often involved. Flooded toilets that only contain urine will also fall under this category as well as clean water that has leaked through multiple levels of a building and picked up contaminants.

3. Black Water
Black, or category 3, water contains high amounts of contaminants. This can include sewage, waste, mold spores and bacteria. This water commonly comes from overflowing plumbing fixtures and flooding from storms. Category 1 or 2 water that is not cleaned quickly enough can also become category 3. Because it is highly contaminated water, it is best to have it removed by a professional Water damage remediation company.
Although water of any type can damage your home, contaminated water often requires more cleanup and repairs. It is important that affected areas of the building as well as damaged belongings are thoroughly cleaned or replaced to prevent the spread of mold and bacteria. To ensure they are done correctly, these tasks should be performed by professionals.