Water damage in your home can look very different depending on what kind of damage you have. Nevertheless, all forms of water damage can be extremely harmful to the structure of your house. When left unattended or unknown, water damage can ruin walls, floors, and much more. STOP Restoration wants you and your family to always remain safe in your home, which is why we are explaining some of the different varieties of water damage that are likely to pop up around your home.
Category One: One of the most common forms of water damage within the restoration business comes from clean water sources, such as burst water supply pipes or overflowing bathtubs. While this water is not contaminated with any immediately life-threatening bacteria or sickness-causing agents, the potential damage caused here should never be underestimated. If left unattended, or if the water builds up without you noticing, this clean water will still soak into susceptible areas of your home, causing immense damage to the integrity of your property. Drywall, wood, metal, and all of the other building blocks of your home are put at considerable risk once this happens. For example, sheets of drywall that sit in even half of an inch of water can soak up to six inches of that water in less than three hours. It is not hard to imagine why this might be an issue for the safety of your home and your loved ones, but also the money in your pockets. Time and time again, we at STOP Restoration have seen that a small amount of clean water ending up costing families exponentially higher costs after being left unattended. When you notice this happen in your home, never write it off because the water isn’t ‘dirty,’ call us right away so that we can get ahead of the damage and ensure the water doesn’t create a hazardous environment in your house!
Category Two: The second category of water damage that we often see in homes results from water that would not be considered clean. This water has a significant degree of chemical, biological, and/or physical contamination. Examples of this type of water that may be found in your home include water found in aquariums, water resulting from dishwasher or clothes washing machine leaks, or water entering the structure from below grade. In addition, water from Category One that has been left sitting for more than 24 hours upgrades to Category Two. This initially clean water becomes greywater, which presents a tremendous risk of mold growth as the area maintains moisture. All of these forms of water will not only cause considerable damage but present potential health risks to you and your family. If you have discovered any such water damage in your home, the time to call is right now. It is extremely important that one of the professionals at STOP Restoration inspects the damage in time to prevent disastrous health issues or further property damage.
Category Three: The final category of water contamination, known as blackwater, is the worst possible situation, and endstage of water build-up on your property. Clean water from Category One that has sat for 48 hours or more, as well as greywater from Category Two that has been sitting for more than 24 hours, becomes the dreaded blackwater. Direct sources of Category Three water contamination include discharges from sewer or septic systems and pipes, floodwaters, and any other water coming from a grossly unsanitary source, or water that is carrying disease-causing agents. If this water is found on your property, DO NOT ignore it or attempt to handle the contamination yourself, as it can become life-threatening very quickly. Call an expert right away, and make sure you and your family stay away from the site of the damage. A STOP Restoration professional will be there to assist you as quickly as possible to remediate the threat, help avoid as much further damage as possible, and get your life and property back on track.
All these forms of water damage are perfect examples of why you should call us immediately when you notice any type of leakage from your pipes or appliances. As you can see, when left unattended, water can be very dangerous and cause you a fortune to remove when ignored. Remember you can always call us at (505) 892-3112 when you notice water damage within your home and our expert team will be on-site to help you get your pipes back under control!
