Primary vs. Secondary Water Damage

9/9/2019 (Permalink)

When waters flood your home or business, you may not worry about how the resulting damage was caused. However, understanding the difference between secondary and primary damage can help you make smart decisions about the cleanup process. Black mold, for example, may not grow in your flooded home if you act quickly.

Primary

Primary damage is anything that happened at the time of the flooding. This can include the following:

• Broken pipe
• Damaged building materials
• Waterlogged furniture

Many residential water cleanup professionals consider primary damage to be anything done at the time of the flooding before the waters stopped flowing.

Secondary

Secondary damage, therefore, is anything that happened once the initial flood stopped. Often, this type of destruction takes place when flooding is not noticed for days. Black mold can start to grow if stagnant water is left unattended, for example. Slow reaction times aren't the only thing that could cause your home to continue being damaged after flooding has stopped. A poor cleanup technique can also attribute to this destruction.

For example, if your home is not completely dried out, there may still be a higher-than-normal humidity level. This high humidity can degrade fabrics, warp wood floors or encourage the growth of mold spores.

For any of your water damage concerns, call SERVPRO of Suffolk/Smithfield/Franklin at 757-934-8404.