The 3 Categories of Water Damage

4/29/2021 (Permalink)

Water damage can cause stress in the home or workplace. Whether your water loss is large or small, it is crucial to remediate the situation quickly to prevent any further issues. Water is classified into 3 categories, and it’s important to be able to distinguish the differences among them.

The first category is “Clean Water.” Clean water is the least contaminated, and comes from a clean source, like a leaky faucet or water line. It can turn into a category 2 or 3 if left untreated and exposed to factors such as temperature and other contaminants.

The second category is “Gray Water.” Gray water is contaminated and can come from a dishwasher or washing machine overflow. It is important to remediate gray water as quickly as possible, as it may contain bacteria. And if left untreated, it can turn into a category 3- “Black Water.”

Blackwater is severely contaminated. Having contact with black water can cause serious illness, and in some cases even death. Examples of black water include flooding from waterways and standing water. Blackwater may contain chemicals, microbes, and sewage. Avoid any contact with black water.

At SERVPRO of Suffolk/Smithfield/Franklin, we want our customers to have peace of mind knowing they will be taken care of by our certified professionals. Our state-of-the-art equipment will have your home or business dry, clean, and back to normalcy in a timely and professional manner. If you have any concerns related to water damage, or to schedule an estimate, please call us today at 757-934-8404.