Three Categories Of Water In Flooding
Flooding inside your home can be incredibly stressful as you try to assess the damage to property and possessions. Figuring out how to clean it all up may seem impossible. When faced with flooding, you should never charge into standing water. Three different categories of water can be present during flooding, depending on what causes the flooding or what the water mixes with. It is essential to know the difference, as it can be more dangerous than you think.
1. Clean Water
The first category is the safest. Clean water is the safest to come in contact with because it comes from a source that is not contaminated with chemicals or bacteria, such as burst pipes, leaky tubs, or rainwater. However, just because your flooding is in this category does not mean you should wait to clean it up. If it is not adequately dried as soon as possible, it can still lead to mold or mildew growth in your house, which is very toxic and dangerous to live with. If you experience clean water flooding, you still need to make sure to call the professionals to get it cleaned up completely before it leads to worse damage.
2. Gray Water
Gray water refers to water that is contaminated from whatever source it is coming from. It contains microorganisms that are dangerous to consume or come in contact with. Gray water comes from things such as toilets, washing machines, broken aquariums, or sump pump malfunctions. If gray water flooding is not cleaned up and dried entirely as soon as possible, it becomes even more dangerous. It can turn into category three, black water, in less than 48 hours after flooding occurs, so removing it as soon as possible is essential.
3. Black Water
The most hazardous category of water is the third category, black water. Black water can contain bacteria, chemicals, pesticides, and other toxic materials that you do not want to touch or ingest in any way. This type of flooding often comes from any type of sewage, toilet backflows, or ground surface water. It is vital for your health and the health of your family and pets to make sure that this type of water is appropriately cleaned and sanitized as soon as possible after flooding occurs.
Water Damage Cleanup—Rutland, Vermont
Each of these categories can worsen and grow into the next category if they are left alone for too long without being cleaned up. To make sure you, your home, and your possessions are genuinely safe after any of these flooding occurs, the best thing you can do is call the professionals to clean it up for you so you can have the peace of mind that the damage is not only dried but that any harmful water-borne bacteria or chemicals are sanitized and killed. With the right equipment and expertise, your home can be restored. Call G.W. Savage after experiencing flooding to ensure the damage is handled.
