Classifying Water Damage
Often people El Paso and Las Cruces assume that
because we live in the desert there is rarely a need for water
damage restoration. However broken pipes, faulty appliances,
and backed up sewer lines can cause extensive damage to yur
home if not properly addressed.
Two ways of classifying water damage events are
1) the cleanliness of the water and 2)
the difficulty in removing the moisture.
Water Damage Restoration
Categories
Category 1. "Clean Water"
is from a source that poses no substantial harm to
people. Water that overflowed while running your
bath water, leaking from a supply line for an ice maker,
dishwasher or clothes washer are good examples. This assumes
that the surfaces being flooded are reasonably clean.
Flooding from clean water is usually treated by extracting
standing water. Air movers are set up to create evaporation and
dehumidifiers to remove the moisture from the air. A biocide
may be applied to prevent mold and bacterial growth.
After 48 hours, a Category 1 can become a Category
2.
Category 2. "Grey
Water" poses health risks due to significant
levels of contamination of bacteria, mold and/or
chemicals. This includes dirty water from washing
machines, dishwashers, as well as leaks from water beds, broken
aquariums and urine. The water restoration technician should
wear some personal protection equipment (PPE). The carpet
padding is usually removed and replaced because its sponge-like
structure offers the perfect environment for bacterial and
mold growth. Due to rampant bacterial breeding and
mold growth, Category 2 becomes a Category 3 situation if left
untreated for 2 days or more.
Category
3. "Black Water" contains
disease-causing organisms, toxins, and is grossly
unsanitary. Typical black water conditions occur
from a sewer back flow, a broken toilet bowl containing feces,
and rising flood waters. (Rising flood water is considered
Category three because of the possibility of chemicals and
organisms found in lawn chemicals, fertilizers, animal feces,
decaying ground debris, and over filled sewer and septic
systems.)
Tetanus and other serious deseases are likely
to be present in rising flood waters. The water restoration
technician must wear personal protection equipment. Affected
objects such as carpet, padding, and sheetrock must be removed
and disposed. A biocide must be applied to kill micro-organisms
on site.
Water Damage Restoration
Classes
Water Classes are determined by how much water
is present and the type of material that is absorbing the
water. In simplified terms, water classes are arranged by the
difficulty and time needed to dry out an area. For formal
definitions, see IICRC S500 Standard and Reference Guide
for Professional Water Damage Restoration.
Class 1. Limited water
intrusion in a room with little sustained damage.
Class 1 is applied to rooms that are only partially affected by
water, or a room with little or no carpet or pad. Very
little if any wicking up the
wall is present.
Class 2. Water has
spread throughout the room and has wicked up the
walls less than 24 inches. Carpet and pad is wet in at least
one whole room. Water is absorbed into construction materials
such as sub-floor, framing members, etc.
Class 3. Water is
invasive as walls, ceiling, structural members,
floor coverings, sub-floor, etc. have incurred sustained damage
and are virtually saturated with water. Often the cause of the
flooding has come from overhead from damaged upstairs
plumbing running inside of walls or ceiling, a damaged fire
sprinkler line or evaporative cooler line. Wall wicking above
24". May require specialty
equipment.
Class 4. Water is bound in the
material or is inaccesible to conventional air
movers. Advanced techniques and specialty
equipment is required, as well as longer time periods.
Examples of bound water includes water soaked hardwood floor
planks, water wicked in sheerock walls covered with a vinyl
wall covering, paneling, or an oil based paint.
Inaccessible areas include the cavities beneath and behind
cabinets, inside of walls and crawlspaces, etc.
Sources
| Falling rain |
Usually considered clean
water/ Category 1 |
| Leak in ceiling |
As rain contacts dirt, rodent
feces, etc. changes to Category 2 or 3. |
|
Washing machine, dishwasher
|
Clean water from hook-up Category
1, water from drain Gray water Category
2 |
| Water heater |
Usually Category 1, unless floor
is dirty or it has been negected over time
(rotting wood, mold, etc.) |
| Toilet over-flow with urine (no
feces) |
Gray water catagory 2 |
| Sewer back-up with
feces |
Black water/ Category 3. May
contain 100s of bacteria and virus types,
including HIV. |
| Rising flood waters |
Black water Category 3 due to
coming in contact with disease and chemical
toxin found on the ground (fertiziers, pet
feces, etc.) |
|