There’s nothing worse than finding water damage in your home or at your office. Water damage can mold, which is a type of fungi that causes respiratory illness. It also damages your home’s structural integrity. Water damage is ranked into three categories. Here are the top 3 most common types of water damage and how a commercial water damage restoration company can help you mitigate the damage.
Categories of Water Damage
The Institute of International Cleaning and Restoration Certification recognizes three distinct categories of water damage: clean water, greywater, and blackwater. Each of these is categorized in severity, ranging from Category 1 to Category 3. Each type of water damage requires specific clean-up methods.
What is Clean Water Damage?
Clean water doesn’t pose a serious health risk to anyone. It is safe to clean up yourself. Rainwater, melting snow and ice, and broken pipes cause clean water damage. Clean up overflowing water as soon as possible to prevent mold growth. Mold develops in as little as 24 hours. Clean water can turn into greywater if left unattended for more than 48 hours.
What is Greywater Damage?
Sullage, also known as greywater, contains small traces of contaminants. If ingested, these contaminants can cause illness. Greywater is usually the result of a broken dishwasher or washing machine because the water from these appliances contains soap. This type of water damage is ranked as Category 2. Wear gloves to clean it up and keep children and pets away from the affected area so they don’t accidentally consume anything. Greywater easily saturates carpeting and drywall.
What is Blackwater Damage?
Blackwater contains human waste and other harmful toxins. It is often the result of a broken sewage pipe. Blackwater can also result from raw sewage that comes from dishwashers and sinks with trash disposals, as these carry a lot of harmful bacteria.
Hurricanes and storms also cause blackwater. Natural water sources are usually contaminated. For example, stormwater can include sewage, motor oil, fertilizers, bacteria from both human and pet waste, and other chemicals. If this gets in your home or business, it can cause severe damage and have an alarming effect on your health. It is not safe to clean up blackwater by yourself; you have to call in professionals to safely extract it from the affected area.
Do You Have Severe Water Damage? The Professionals at Green Genie Environmental Can Help
If your home or commercial property is damaged in a flood or hurricane, you need to call a commercial water damage restoration company as soon as possible. At Green Genie Environmental, we use safe, eco-friendly methods to respond to and treat any kind of water damage. Our mission is to provide environmentally safe solutions to our customers, regardless of what type of mold or water problem they’re facing. Give us a call today at (716) 466-6653 or schedule an appointment with us by visiting us on the web.