What is Lurking in that Water Damage?

9/15/2022 (Permalink)

Did you know that there are all types of categories when it comes to water losses that happen in your home or business? Most usually have no idea what this would refer to, but from a mitigation and insurance standpoint, it’s a pretty big deal.  

These categories of water loss determine the process necessary in cleanup, how dangerous they can be, and how to proceed.

There are three types of contamination:

Category 1

The first, Category 1, is sanitary water that typically comes from a broken pipe and doesn’t come in contact with any contaminants that could mix into it (i.e. a drain pipe, or sewer pipe from a toilet) and doesn’t pose a risk to your safety if you’re exposed to it but can still easily cause mold growth if not treated immediately.  

Category 2

Second, Category 2 water contains significant amounts of contaminants that may cause harm to a person should they come in contact. Flooding from your washing machine into your home, aquariums, or punctured waterbeds. After just two days, Category 2 water damage can easily become a Category 3.

Category 3

Lastly is Category 3, where the water is heavily contaminated by sewage. If water comes in from a sewer drain in any way, or back flows from the drains in your home, it requires extreme levels of caution. Professionals should be wearing protective gear to clean up those messes.

Our team is trained to take these situations very seriously. We have a response time of 1 hour or less to start the mitigation process immediately to keep it from becoming worse and spreading. That is why we are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week because you never know when something as serious as a Category 3 water loss will happen.

Here are some tips when going through any category of water loss:

Water damages happen quite frequently, some of the most common causes that we see are from: failed supply lines from a toilet or fridge, water coming from outside the home, or leaks in a bathroom or HVAC system.

When experiencing a water damage in your home you should:

-Shut off the water

-Call your insurance agent and plumber

-Call SERVPRO of Beverly/Cape Ann (978) 927-8665 to begin emergency services

When dealing with a water loss from a clean water source which is a Category 1 loss. Most of your building materials that are wet can be salvaged and restored to pre loss conditions, our team is trained to help dry and salvage important documents and items.

Helpful Tip

When shopping for a Homeowners Insurance policy, a good thing to consider is looking into a Flood policy. There have been many times that the cause of loss has been water from an outside water source and a regular home insurance policy does not cover flooding. Have an adjuster come out and help see if you are on a flood plain. Its always better to be safe than sorry!

Our team at SERVPRO of Beverly/ Cape Ann understands how stressful any type of loss can be. We pride ourselves on customer service and quick response times. All our technicians are background checked, drug tested, and are certified through the IICRC. Their certifications range from Water Restoration Technician, Applied Structural Drying, Commercial Drying Specialist, and Applied Microbial Remediation Technician.

Still have questions? Call SERVPRO of Beverly/Cape Ann at (978) 927-8665