How To Recognize Category 2 Water Damage

10/18/2023 (Permalink)

Commercial water damage in Perry, OK

The water cleanup process includes several phases, one of which is disinfecting any contaminated areas. When water damage experts assess the problem in your building in Perry, OK, they must determine the level of the water's contamination. They do this by placing it in the appropriate category. After a water pipe repair, you may have Category 2 damage, even though the water was clean when it came out of the pipe.

Contamination Levels

There are three categories of water damage contamination that experts use to determine the scope of the cleanup process:

• Category 1 - Clean water, usually from a broken pipe or supply line
• Category 2 - Dirty water, usually from an appliance such as a refrigerator
• Category 3 - Contaminated water, usually from sewer lines or storm flooding
  
  

If water pipe repair is completed and the subsequent damage is mitigated quickly, the contamination level is likely to stay at a Category 1. The longer water damage sits, however, the more likely it is to move to Category 2 damage as it becomes contaminated by the dirt and the breakdown of materials. Then you have to add a step to the cleanup process to disinfect your building.

Disinfection Process

The longer you take to call cleanup experts, the more likely your flooded building is to have Category 2 damage. When experts arrive, they can test for contamination to determine if they need to add an extra cleaning step. They start by removing materials that can't be salvaged. Then they use industrial cleaners or purification machines to remove any bacteria that have started to grow in the affected area. Only after this disinfection has been completed can your structure be restored to its former state.
Fast action is necessary with any damage to your building. If you need water pipe repair, you probably need water damage remediation. Call your local experts quickly to avoid further damage that can complicate the remediation process.