Water damage, no matter the form, can be stressful, cost money, and be harmful to you and your family. Some water damage can be more subtle than others and sometimes we won’t even know there’s damage until it’s too late. There are varying degrees of water damage, all may cause harm in a way but the kind of harm you’re in will be so important. For those on Long Beach Island, being aware of the different types of water damage that could harm your home is a good idea. Being aware allows you to prepare, prevent and treat water damage and avoid a costly cleanup in the future.
Category 1 water damage is damage caused by clean water. This sort of damage obviously comes from clean water sources such as overflows of sinks and bathtubs or from one of your pipes breaking. Though this is classified as category 1 and not as harmful as the other types of water damage, it can quickly turn into something more harmful if not taken care of right away.
Category 2 water damage is caused by what people may call gray water. This water tends to have contaminants of sorts such as detergents from laundry machine or dishwasher overflows. Another example would be contaminants from rain or other storms that may cause water damage to your home. With these contaminants, sooner the water damage can be taken care of, the better it will be. Just like Category 1, Category 2 can quickly get worse.
Category 3 is labeled by black water. That just sounds gross. Well, that’s because it is gross and very harmful. Black water may contain pathogens, fungal, and viral contaminations. Black water can arise from water damage caused by sewage or flooding over rivers or streams. For some it may seem weird to group river and stream flooding with sewage but because the water is more stagnant, there is time for pathogens to grow. The longer water sits, the more time there is for these contaminations to cause serious harm. If you run into this kind of water damage, you should not try cleaning it up yourself. It can be classified as an emergency and you should contact a water damage cleanup professional. Most have 24/7 phone lines so they can help you as soon as possible.
Water damage cleanup is best done right away. The faster it is taken care of, the better it will be. Another thing to keep in mind is that no matter the water damage category, it can always get worse if left untreated. The safest and most efficient way to get water damage cleaned up is to contact a water damage cleanup professional. They know what they are doing and will get your home back to the way it was or better. Like mentioned earlier, most water damage cleanup teams, like those at Stretch Cleaning in Long Beach Island, are available for you to call 24/7 and will attend to you and your home as soon as possible.
