Categories of Water Damage

Categories of Water responsible for Building Damage

According to IICRC’s Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration, there are three categories of water that cause damage in buildings.

Category of Water Type of Water Iconic Representation Description Potential Sources

Category I

Clear Water

  clear-water
  • Uncontaminated water.
  • Clean at the releasing source.
  • Not harmful if consumed by humans and/or pets.
  • Broken pipes and water supply lines.
  • Leaky faucets.
  • Faulty supply lines on appliances.
  • Vertically falling rainwater

Category II

Grey Water

  grey-water
  • Typically waste water generated from daily household activities.
  • Contains some degree of contamination but NO fecal matter.
  • Could cause illness or discomfort if consumed by humans and/or pets.
  • Overflow from dishwashers.
  • Overflow from washing machines.
  • ‘Flush’ from  sinks, showers & tub drains etc.

Category III

Black Water

  black-water
  • Highly contaminated water.
  • DOES contains fecal matter.
  • Could cause serious illness or death if consumed by humans and/or pets.
  • Toilet overflow containing feces.
  • Stagnant water that has begun to support bacterial growth.
  • Sewer backup.
  • Rising flood water from rivers, streams and ground surface water flowing horizontally into homes.

As discussed in one of our previous blogs, ‘The Jigsaw Puzzle Pieces of Water Damage!’, there are multiple intricacies involved in the proper restoration of a water damaged building and the ‘category of water’ is but a single facet! Each of the multiple intricacies play a significant role in enabling water damage professionals to better understand the extent of damage as a whole; and to devise the most appropriate restoration plan to be employed.

The reality of the situation is, water damage restoration is best left to the professionals, because in this instance, ‘looks really can be deceiving’!

At Triangle Legacy, we provide professional flood & water damage restoration services to both residential and commercial clients alike. As an added bonus, we also provide mold remediation & removal services. With integrity, reliability, professionalism, expertise & passion as our trademarks, our primary goal is to ensure that you are 100% satisfied!

For a free consultation & estimate relative to your flood & water damage restoration needs, please contact us at (301) 523-9419 or Toll Free at 1-800-830-3324. We currently serve the Washington D.C Metropolitan Area.

Acronym
IICRC: Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification

Sources
IICRC Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration