Water Damage: Category 1

8/31/2018 (Permalink)

There are many ways water damage can affect your home. However, the severity of damage can vary depending on the class of water that caused the damage. There are three categories of water damage:

Category 1: Water damage caused by clean water that does not pose a substantial threat to humans.

Category 2: Water Damage that contains chemicals, biological or physical contaminants that can cause sickness. The term "grey water" is used when dealing with category two water damage.

Category 3: Water damage that is known as "black water". This class of water damage contains unsanitary agents and harmful bacteria that can cause severe discomfort or sickness. Sewage mainly causes this class of water damage.

But what are the leading causes of category one water damage? Broken water supply lines, melting ice/snow, heavy rains, and appliance overflows that do not contain contaminants.
Broken water supply lines are more common than you might think. Water supply lines break for many reasons. However, freezing temperatures are the leading cause. When the air temperature is at or drops below freezing, the ground above the pipes freezes causing increasing external stress.
Heavy rains are another common category one water damage. The city has back up water reservoirs that help to drain water during the heavy rains, but occasionally these systems get backed up which causes flooding.
Can appliances cause water damage? You bet. Besides the washer and the dishwasher, AC units can cause water damage. The condensation that AC units cause can lead to the growth of mold in any part of your house that contains the unit.
Category one water damage, while it is clean water, can cause significant damage to your home or apartment. If you or anyone you know is experiencing water damage, call SERVPRO of Port Jefferson so we can stop the mitigation of loss.