When your home suffers water damage, you may not care much about categorizing the type of water that caused it. But, this is actually quite important when it comes to how much work and cost will go into restoring the damage.
There are three categories defined by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), and these are Category 1, 2, and 3. Each category essentially represents how clean the water is and how much threat to safety it will present.
So, let’s take a look at these categories.
Category 1 Water
Category 1 water comes from a clean water source such as a burst supply pipe. This water, at least before it started causing water damage, was clean, safe water. This means that essentially the water was safe to come into contact with and poses no inhalation threat from coming near it.
Common sources of Category 1 water are broken supply pipes, overflowing fixtures, melting snow or ice, and rain. Essentially, for most homes and businesses, it comes down to, has the water been used yet? If not, then it should be Category 1 water, but keep in mind that within hours of sitting and building up mold and bacteria, category 1 water can progress to category 2.
Category 2 Water
Category 2 water is often referred to as greywater, and it is water with only a moderate level of contamination. This may cause illness or discomfort, but it is also considered non-toxic.
The distinguishing feature of this category of water is that it does not contain fecal matter or a lethal level of fungi or bacteria. Common sources of this type of water are leaks in dishwasher or washing machine drainage. This water may contain soap and some other corruption, but it is relatively mild and should simply be avoided.
Category 3 Water
Category 3 water is the highest risk category of water and is often known as black water. This water can result in severe illness and death upon exposure. This contains a high level of bacteria, fungi, or contaminants and absolutely requires professional treatment by certified water remediation specialists.
This category of water often comes from sewage leaks, flooding from bodies of water, or water that has been left to stagnate. If the lower categories of water are left untreated, they will soon become Category 3 water.
Final Thoughts
When your home or business is flooded, you may not care much whether the water is category 1, 2, or 3, but this will make a big difference when it comes time to treat it. So, before you start trying to clean up the mess, consider what category of water you are dealing with. If it isn’t category 1, you are better of leaving it to the professionals.
Contact Us
If your home or business is dealing with the effects of water damage, contact Restore Pro. Our trained water damage restoration professionals can safely restore your property to pre-loss condition. Call us at 1-800-847-0114 and connect with us on Facebook.
