One of the most annoying things, and sometimes devastating things that can happen in your St. Paul’s home is finding water damage. Damages can come from almost anything, from a broken pipe in your bathroom, to a leaky appliance, to a backed up sewer line. Water damage happens day or night, and is not a friend to anyone. While people may know and understand where water damage can come from, not very many people know that there are different categories and classes of water. Understanding these different types is crucial in order to have the clean up and restoration process go more smoothly, and avoid nasty smells and lingering bills. From the experts at ICC in St. Paul, here are a few categories and classes that water damage can be:
This type of water damage occurs with water that is still cleaned and not contaminated by any outside source. This type of category would include supply lines that have been broken, appliances in your bathroom like sinks and toilets that overflow without any sort of contaminants. Other types would include falling rainwater, any sort of melting ice or snow. Usually this type of category does not cause a lot of stress for the homeowner and the damage can usually be cleaned up and resolved fairly quickly.
This type of occurs when the water is somewhat contaminated or comes in contact with potential harmful substances. It also can contain unsafe amounts of microorganisms that can make you and your loved ones very sick. Some of these types include overflows from washing machines and toilet bowls, punctured water beds, or broken fish tanks. This category of damage is a little more threatening and can cause some issues, but still can be resolved fairly quickly.
This is the most dangerous type of water. This type contains very harmful things such as pathogens, silt, or pesticides. Examples of these would include any sort of sewer backup, ground surface water, any sort of seawater, rising water that came from rivers and streams, and any sort of toilet water that came from beyond the base of the toilet. When you experience these types of damages, it is absolutely crucial that you contact professional help right away. Not only can this type harm your belongings, but it can severely harm you and your family as well if not taken care of properly.
It is also important to note what type of “class” the water is that you may be dealing with. There are four types of classes and they are as follows:
Only a small section of the room has been affected and can be easily evaporated or eliminated.
Almost an entire room has been affected. There will also be more than twenty four inches of water up the walls. Simply put, there is a lot of water that has flooded the floors of the room.
This type of water usually comes from above. This is the greatest amount of water and usually the ceilings, walls, and insulation of your home are affected.
There are usually deep pockets of saturation in this case. This class usually takes the longest to dry and special equipment to take care of the situation.
Because water damage can happen at any time, it is extremely helpful to understand what you are dealing with when it comes to damage clean up in your home. Contact your local professionals like those at ICC in St. Paul with any other questions you may have. Do not wait until it is too late! Call today!