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Understanding the 3 Water Classifications | SERVPRO® of Kingston/New Paltz
2/25/2019 (Permalink)
Know the types of flood waters that can damage your home!
When you think about the water that causes water damage, it is easy to think that it is all the same. But did you know that there are three different classifications for it: clean, gray and black?
It won’t matter what type of water has caused damage, though, there will always be a cleanup and restoration process you will have to go through in every situation. The most important step to take—no matter what type of water is involved—is to remove all of the moisture and damp items quickly, so that mold cannot begin to flourish in its ideal environment.
This type of water is exactly what the name infers, “clean,” and not the type to pose an immediate threat to your health. This water does not contain contaminants and is the product of:
- Broken water lines
- Malfunctioning appliances
- Toilet holding tanks
- Snow melt and rainwater
Clean water will be the easiest kind of water damage to clean up after as there will be fewer microbes living in the water. However, after 48 hours and contact with building surfaces, clean water can move up to category two and become gray water.
Gray water is where water damage cleanup and restoration starts to become a little bit more complicated. This is water that may pose a health risk, due to it containing some chemical and/or biological contamination, which means it will be necessary to thoroughly treat it before it is consumable.
Gray water examples are waters that come from dishwashers, aquariums, showers, etc. The 48-hour exposure time applies here as well, since gray water will turn into black water if not treated.
Black water situations are considered the most serious of the three classifications. This type of water is considered highly contaminated by hazardous chemicals and biological matter.
This will be floodwaters that contain soil and sewage. Sewage is contaminated with microbes, including bacteria, protozoans, molds, fungi and more—many of these can be harmful to humans.
Diseases that can be transmitted by black water are:
- Cholera
- Typhoid
- Hepatitis
- Gastroenteritis-type illnesses
The best way to treat all floodwater is to consider all waters involved are black water since it will pick up contaminants along its path.
All of the three classifications of floodwater are recognized by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Remediation Certification (IICRC), an organization which certifies and sets the protocol for the cleaning and restoration industry. Our technicians all study IICRC standards and best practices in water restoration and are available to help determine the steps to take to get your home back to normal.
It doesn’t matter what type of water has caused damage to your home or business, SERVPRO® of Kingston/New Paltz is here to help get the situation under control and make it "Like it never even happened." Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need emergency cleanup and restoration services! Call us at 845-255-4334.