Understanding The Severity Of Water Damage In Homes

8/26/2021 (Permalink)

According to estimates in the industry, close to 14,000 people in the United States experience water damage incidents each day. Water damage can originate from a plethora of sources and in turn will require a variety of different methods to be employed for remediation. The good news, however, is that many outcomes of water damage can be prevented with the right knowledge and understanding. Read on to find out more on the different types of water damage in your home.

Classes of Water Damage

Class 1 – refers to a small volume of water that is limited to one room without any further spread. This extent of damage is the easiest to deal with as it has only affected materials with low permeability such as concrete and plywood. Only light repairs will be required.

Class 2 – This class refers to a larger volume of water that has affected an entire room or area. This includes damaging materials with slightly higher permeability like carpeting and cushioning. In this class, there is moisture in the structural materials that may cause lasting damage to the structure of the building if left unattended.

Class 3 – This category indicates severe water damage affecting building materials like ceilings and walls, electrical systems like insulation and electrical appliances, furniture such as carpets and personal possessions with the fastest absorption rate. At this point, water may have seeped beneath the walls and has wicked the walls at over 24 inches. Extensive recovery techniques will need to be devised to remediate the situation.

Class 4 – The most severe form of water damage, where the water has penetrated porous and low permeance materials like brick, stone, hardwood, and plaster. Drying and getting rid of moisture in these materials can be particularly difficult as they will need to be treated at low humidity levels and will require longer drying times. If necessary, more specialized methods will be devised to remedy the issue.

Severity of Water Damage

These guidelines are established by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification board (IICRC) and are defined by industry’s standards and regulations to identify the type of water involved the specific incident.

Category 1 – Ranking the lowest on the IIRCR scale, this is usually referred to “clean” water that usually originate from sanitary sources such as ruptured water supply lines, broken pipes, bath appliances like sinks and bathtubs that might have overflowed. As this type of water is sewage and toxin-free, it does not pose as health effects and does not require decontamination procedures.

Category 2 – This refers to “gray” water coming from sources such as overflowing appliances. These usually include washing machine, toilets, sump pump backups. While consuming or being in contact with it may not prove to be immediately harmful to humans, this water is considered contaminated and could pose a health effects later down the line.

Category 3 – Also known as “black” water, it is described as most toxic type of water and the most extreme case of damage that will requires immediate actions to mitigate its harmful effects. This category includes raw sewage water, flood waters and ground water. In this scenario, your items and materials will need to be removed immediately to prevent further damage and remediation requires the use of protective gear and extensive disinfection. The affected house may need to be evacuated until the water damage restoration process is completed. 

Time-Sensitive Factors

Now that you can identify the different severity and classes of water damage, it is important that the water damage is remedied as soon as possible to prevent any health risks or hazards.

Over time, the water damage will worsen by the hour. The first zero to 48 hours are the most critical and this is where preventive measures can be taken to remedy the issue. At this point, the area of water damage increases and materials with high permeability rate like drywall and carpeting absorb and retain water.

After 48 hours, this is when the water damage will can start to pose health effects, creating the perfect environment for mold and airborne spores to grow and contaminate the area. Materials like paint and wallpaper will start to blister and peel off while wooden flooring and structures will start to deform and warp. All other materials will start to deteriorate even more.

At the one-week mark, it may no longer safe to enter without being equipped with the right gear and suits as it can pose health effects. Many major structural may be heavily damaged and compromised at this point and will require water damage professionals to remediate the situation.

If you’re facing a water damage issue that is proving too difficult to handle on your own, SERVPRO of West Somerset County is here to provide you with the water damage solutions you need for your situation. To find out more about our services, feel free to contact us today!