What Type of Water Emergency do I Have?

1/31/2021 (Permalink)

Water Emergencies Vary Depending on the Source of Intrusion; SERVPRO Restorers Identify Water Types Quickly to Provide Viable, Time-efficient Solutions

What are the categories of water intrusion?

Water intrusion has three distinct categories that can influence the method of water in your Lee & South Chatham Counties home. Clean water emergencies pose no threat to human health and have minimal impact on the home environment, while greywater emergencies have moderate contamination levels in the water and pose a minor risk to our health. These contaminants may include fungus and bacteria. Blackwater emergencies are the most contaminated type of water damage and pose a high-level threat to human health. These require significant removal and disposal of building materials that contacts blackwater. Water categories are fluid and can become increasingly severe over time- moving from clean water to blackwater in as little as seventy-two-hours.

How can I identify the water-threat level in my home?

• Cleanwater usually comes from a clean source. These may come from sources like drinking water pipes and rainfall.
• Greywater emergencies are most likely to occur from your plumbing system that transports wastewater from the property. These may include kitchen sinks, showers, or bathrooms. Greywater does not include sewer backups.
• Blackwater emergencies come from exterior flooding, sewer backups, septic tanks, or when greywater emergencies degrade over-time. These require personal protective equipment (PPE) to restore safely.

Do I need qualifications to restore water spillage in my home?

In all but the most minor of water spills, having expert experience is helpful. Drying a property may take several days and involve complex equipment. During the drying procedure, maintaining the right atmospheric conditions is essential to prevent water degradation or secondary damage. SERVPRO achieves the right atmospheric conditions by measuring them consistently using a thermal hygrometer. We can use portable heaters, drying tents, dehumidifiers, and air-movers to maintain the ideal drying conditions, reducing the time it takes to restore your property to its original condition.

To identify and restore all types of a water emergency, contact SERVPRO of Lee & South Chatham Counties 919-533-6776.