Before we dive into the specifics of the water damage restoration process and flood cleanup, let us first understand the types of water damages you may experience at home or at your business, the potential causes of water damages, and the specific actions you need to take whenever you are faced with flooding or water damage at your residence or place of work.
Water Damage Types You Need to Know About
The knowledge of the type of water damage you are dealing with will inform your actions on how to deal with the situation. You need to understand the various types of damages so that you understand the kinds of risks you might be facing, and most importantly, know what you need to do to ensure the long-term safety of your family and quick water removal processes. Here is a brief look at the main types of water damages you are likely to encounter at home:
- Clean Water Damage
Clean water is also known as category one water. It is considered the safest of all water damage types. This type of damage normally comes from broken clean water lines or unattended sinks. You wouldn’t face any significant health risks if you consumed this water or it was fed to your animals and pets.In most cases, clean water damages will not cause any serious damages if you discover them in good time, but they may still be dangerous if you don’t get them corrected in good time. With clean water damages, most cleaning companies will know how to deal with them quickly and efficiently.They are not contaminated, and unless you are faced with a big burst, taking care of this water damage is always the easiest and the simplest. - Gray Water Damage
This kind of damage is more serious than clean water damage. Clean water damage can easily turn to gray water damage if you allow it to sit for over 24 hours. A great example of gray water damage is when you experience an overflow in your toilet. Since the water in the toilet contains microbes, ingesting this kind of water is certain to make you ill, or give you a stomach upset at the very least.If you happen to experience gray water damage in your home, the most important thing you have to do is stop the spread of the water to other rooms. If you allow it spread, it will also be spreading along with the bacteria and the microbes in it.For this reason, it is always a good idea to work with professionals in clearing gray water damage from your home. However, if you insist on doing the restoration, then you have to protect yourself so that the water doesn’t come into contact with your skin and it doesn’t spread to the other areas of your home. - Black Water
This is the most serious and the most dangerous of all the water damages. This type of water damage may happen in cases of a sewer burst up, or when there is a natural disaster such as floods or hurricane that ends up disposing of a lot of black water in the home.With this water damage, it is important that you keep yourself and your family away from the water. Such waters are known to have chemicals, pesticides, and bacteria that can potentially cause serious health problems to you and your loved ones.If you are ever faced with black water contamination in your home, it is vital that you call professional flood cleaning experts to come and help you out with clearing the mess.
Causes of Water Damages at Home
Now that you know some of the water damage types you may be faced with at home, you should also know some of the potential causes of water damages at home. Knowing what caused the damage is also important since it will help you decide if you can handle the cleanup by yourself or if you need to call for professional help with the flood cleaning. Read below for a brief look at some of the common causes of water damage at home-:
- Severe Weather
Hurricanes, thunderstorms, and natural disasters are not daily occurrences. However, when they do happen, they normally come with potentially damaging consequences to property and will most certainly affect lives.The strong winds that such natural disasters come with could damage roofs, and send a significant amount of rain indoors. They can also cause heavy downpours that may clog the public sewer lines that might cause backflow or force the floodwaters from the streets into your home. - Clogged Gutters
The home’s gutter system is designed to drive away water from the home. However, over time, the gutters do get clogged with all manner of debris, including leaves, twigs, and branches from nearby trees.When it rains and they are clogged, the rainwater may not flow in the intended direction. Instead, it is likely to flow along the edges of the gutters, ultimately finding its way inside the house leading to water damages in the house. - Old Home Appliances
As appliances advance in age, it is possible for their pipes to rust and weaken. The dishwasher is known to leak and cause flooding in the kitchen. When parts such as the gasket get worn out, the doors break, or the drains get clogged, the probable scenario is always flooding of the rooms.The good news with water damage caused by appliances is that they easy to detect and may not always result in a lot of damage. But that notwithstanding, it is vital that you avoid them whenever possible. - Leaking Pipes
When pipes get lose, or they become too old, they are likely to start leaking. If such leaks are not detected in good time, they are likely to flood the rooms where they are in. The only challenge with leaking pipes is when they occur in hidden places.If the leaks are not discovered and repaired in good time – irrespective of how small they are, they may lead to serious structural damages, including damages to the items in those rooms. A good plumber should be enough to deal with leaky pipes once they are discovered. - Blocked Drains
Drains in places such as the bathroom, the kitchen, and the bathtub may clog up for a variety of reasons. Grease buildup, hair, dirt, toiletries, or even kids’ toys may find their way into the drainages and end up blocking them.When the blockage is discovered and removed in good time, then no serious damage may be expected. However, it is not discovered in time, you may back to a flooded home, with lots of water damage around. - Structural damage
Moisture may sip through the concrete and sip up through to the walls where they may cause mold and rot. This is purely a structural problem and by the time you realize it, there are always very good chances that damage has already been done.However, you should ensure to take immediate action the moment you mold or any form of rotting on your walls. - Pipe burst due to frigid temperatures
This is a water emergency you are likely to face during the cold months. It happens when water in the pipes freeze, expand and rupture the pipes.Depending on the location of the pipes, the ensuing flooding can cover the floor all the way to the ceiling. For this reason, you are encouraged to insulate your pipes and prepare them for winter before the cold months set in. - Sewer lines back up
Sewer lines back up is not a situation anybody would wish to experience in their homes. When your sewer lines can’t flow properly, the contents are likely to come back to the house and start flooding everywhere with the black/gray water.This normally happens when the sewer lines are blocked, or heavy rainfall delivers more water than the lines can handle. Sewer line backups may spread dangerous contaminants around the house fast, making the environment unsuitable for living.Learn to call the right professionals the moment you realize that you are faced with a sewer line backup.
