What Every Home Owner Should Know: Categories and Classes of Water Damage
Water damage basically refers to losses brought about by the intrusion of water; examples of these include floods and leaks, among others. Water damage in your Utah home can be quite daunting to you and destructive to your home and belongings, which is why you need to address it immediately with professional help. Performing water damage restoration partly entails determining the categories and classes of water damage, which is based on the severity of the damage and the source of water responsible for the damage.
Categories
Category 1 ("Clean Water") pertains to any damage from a "clean" water source, one that is not deemed to carry any harmful contaminants that may cause health issues. Such water sources include sink or facet plumbing, water heaters, and bathtubs. Although Category 1 is considered hazard-free in terms of health, it can develop and proceed to a higher category if left unaddressed for a period.
Category 2 ("Grey Water") is tantamount to damage that originates from a water source labeled as "unclean" and contains certain contaminants. These contaminants are biological, chemical, or physical, and can be causes of sicknesses or discomfort. Examples of Category 2 water sources include sump pump failures, toilet bowls with urine and no feces, and water discharge from washing machines or dishwashers.
Category 3 ("Black Water") is equal to water damage caused by water from sources that are unsanitary, containing bacteria and fungi. Such water sources include sewage water, seawater, standing water, toilet back flows, and rising water from streams or rivers. This category can cause severe sicknesses or discomfort especially if the water damage is untreated. Water damage repair Utah homeowners get help in effectively preventing the consequences of Category 3 water damage.
Classes
Class 1 water damage has slow evaporation rate, meaning that only one part of an area or room is affected. Carpets and padding have little to zero wetness. Meanwhile, Class 2 water damage Utah homes experience has fast evaporation rate; an entire room and the carpets and cushions are affected by the water damage. Moisture may also be present in structural materials like plywood and concrete.
In Class 3 water damage, evaporation rate is at its fastest and water usually comes from overhead; walls, insulation, ceilings, carpets, and subfloors are saturated. Lastly, Class 4 water damage Utah homes undergo consist of wet materials that have low levels of porosity or permanence, such as plaster, brick, stone, and concrete. Class 4 water damage is also known as "specialty drying situations" and requires low specific humidity.
Author (renaymilman). Submitted on Sat, 4 Feb 2012
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