Most Common Forms of Water Damage

11/2/2020 (Permalink)

Avoid water damage

SERVPRO of Hawaii/Maui is your go-to water damage cleanup company on the Big Island of Hawaii. We don’t only clean up water damage, we also offer water damage restoration services 24/7. Our goal is to deal with water damage as soon as it occurs and return your property to the state it was in before, as if no damage had occurred. 

We specialize in dealing with all different types of water damage. In today’s blog, we’ll be discussing the 3 main categories of water damage, referencing some of the most common types of damage that occur in each category. If your property is suffering water damage of any kind, contact SERVPRO of Hawaii/Maui today!: (808) 329-6560.

3 Categories of Water Damage

Water damage can occur from your pipes, from external flooding, and from many other sources. For a water restoration company like ourselves, it is important to know what the source of the water is, but equally important to know what kind of water we’re dealing with. There are three categories of water damage:

• Clean water damage
• Grey water damage
• Black water damage

#1: Clean Water Damage

As you might guess because of the name, clean water damage — which is Category 1 on the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification’s (IIRC) scale — includes water damage from things such as broken pipes, sinks, overflowing bathtubs, appliances, and water supply lines. This is the least severe type of water damage, as it involves “clean water”, i.e., water free from sewage or toxins. Any of your belongings, carpeting, walls, etc. that are damaged by category 1 water damage is likely to be able to be dried out without any major problems later on. 

#2: Grey Water Damage

Category 2 water damage involves “grey water.” Grey water includes water from washing machines, sump pump backups, and toilets. This category of water damage is unlikely to be harmful to humans, but it may contain chemicals and waste that could prove harmful down the line. 

#3: Black Water Damage

The final category of water damage entails “black water”. This is the most extreme type of water damage, and action must be swift to mitigate serious health effects. Black water entails things such as seawater, groundwater, sewage, and other types of flooding. After your property suffers from black water damage, it will require significant renovation and disinfecting. 

A Solution for All Types of Water Damage on the Big Island

If you are on the Big Island of Hawaii and your property has suffered any of these three kinds of water damage, the expert restoration and cleanup team at SERVPRO of Hawaii/Maui are here to help. We offer sewage cleanup for category 3 water damage, along with general water removal for all different types of properties. Contact us today to learn more about how our water restoration process can help you!