Categories of Water Damage

10/24/2018 (Permalink)

Having a water loss in your home can be much more damaging and dangerous depending on what category of water damage your loss is. These categories range from 1 to 3 and the differences could mean life or death depending on the circumstances.

Category 1 water damage is considered to be a water loss that comes from clean and/or sanitary sources. Examples of these are water lines, faucets, toilet tanks, fountains, etc. This category normally doesn’t cause any issues other than the damage to your property from the water.

Category 2 water damage is considered to be a water loss that comes from sources with levels of contaminants that can potentially cause illness or discomfort if ingested. Some examples of sources that would cause this are dishwashers, toilet overflow with urine in it, or other sources with “used” water.

Category 3 water damage is considered to be a water loss that comes from sources that are deemed to have dangerously unsanitary contaminants. These can cause serious illness or even death if ingested. This includes water damage caused by sewer backup, flooding from rivers or streams, toilet overflow containing feces, and stagnant water with bacterial growth.

It is important to know the differences between these damage categories so that you know what to do and how to act if you are in a situation involving water damage to your home or other property.