Pyramid of Water Contamination

3/30/2022 (Permalink)

Call us today if you suspect water damage or mold in your home!

Water damage in your home in Portland that results from a heavy storm is contaminated water. Unlike damage done by a busted pipe or an overflowing bathtub, storm runoff is considered Category 3 water. To understand how this affects the remediation process to your home after flooding occurs, you first need to understand the difference between the three levels of contamination.

1. Category 1

A flood that results from Category 1 water is probably the easiest of the three categories for water restoration specialists to clean up. Once the water is removed and damaged materials are either dried off or torn out and replaced, the restoration process is basically done. This is because Category 1 water is considered clean water. It comes from pipes, supply lines or other sources that deliver water safe enough to drink to the different faucets in your home.

2. Category 2

If you have water damage from Category 2 water, a little more cleaning is necessary. This water often comes from household appliances. Washing machine or refrigerator leaks fall within this group. While minimal contact is probably not a problem, it is not recommended that you ingest Category 2 water. It is also a bad idea to throw it outside on your garden, as it may contain things such as soap or boron which can be harmful to plants.

3. Category 3

If your sewer backs up into your home or your toilet overflows, you likely have Category 3 damage. Storm water also falls under this category. Black water is typically teeming with bacteria. This makes it necessary to add disinfecting any surface with which it comes into contact to the cleanup task list.
Before the cleanup process begins, it helps to know where the floodwater causing the water damage came from. This information will tell you a lot about which category of contamination you're dealing with.