Every home and commercial space owner dreads of water damage. The chance and risk of water damage is much higher in times of heavy rains or when the snow starts to melt quickly after winter. The effects of water damage and the damage it can cause can be measured in thousands of dollars as it can affect the structural integrity of your home, your furniture, electric installation and appliances and so on.
With water damage, there’s also a high risk of mould growth and that usually follows within the first 24-48 hours. This can also be a pretty expensive problem to remedy and deal with. In order to quickly and effectively combat the effects of water damage on your home or commercial space, it’s highly recommended to contact a reputable and skilled water damage restoration company so that they can help you replace or repair damaged belongings and help you with the clean-up process.
What causes water damage?
Many household problems can be caused bye more than one cause. The same applies to water damage. Everything from a leaky dishwasher to sewage backup can cause potential water damage. Furthermore, if the area where you live was hit by heavy rains or flooding, you can most definitely count on water damage in your basement or on upper levels of your home.
Depending on the amount of water, the effects of water damage can be different. Sometimes it might only cause small quantities of water in your basement, but it can also lead to severe structural damages to your property which can eventually cause destruction.
When your home or commercial space suffers water damage, it’s important that the restoration and cleaning process is started as soon as possible so that the effects of water damage are contained and the risk of further damage is minimized.
Effects of water damage and categories
In order to effectively repair the damage caused by water damage, the property (home or commercial space) needs to be thoroughly assessed in order to determine the severity of the water damage. Depending on the kind of water that struck your property, you can expect different effects of water damage and different restoration process.
Category 1, which is the lowest category is caused by clear and relatively clean water. This type of water doesn’t pose any health risks to humans and it is usually caused by a broke appliance or maybe a sink overflow. The restoration process is relatively simple and straightforward.
Category 2 is usually caused by gray water. The effects of water damage in this case can be more severe, since the water is considered to be contaminated and ingesting it might make you ill. Gray water is usually contaminated with various microorganisms and this can originate from broken toilets or sump pumps or seepage.
Category 3 water damage is the most severe, caused by, what we know as black water. The effects of this water damage are really dangerous, since this water is unsanitary, contains various bacteria and other microorganisms that can make you really sick. Black water damage can usually be caused by sewage backup or contaminated standing water.
Health hazards
Once you see that your home or commercial space was hit by water damage, it’s really important to contact a professional restoration company to assess the situation and repair the effects of water damage, whatever they might be.
A professional and highly skilled restoration company will not only focus on eliminating the effects of water damage, but it will also make sure to prevent potential mould growth and that the structural integrity of your home is intact and in previous condition.
