Categories and Classes of Water Loss
The category of water loss refers to the degree of contamination present in the water; this is determined from the water source. It’s also crucial to learn how it impacts different materials. To put it simply, categories indicate how unclean the water is.
On the other hand, water loss classes refer to the rate of evaporation based on the types of wet materials impacted. It also depends on water, from little moisture to great water content-saturated by the affected materials.
The Three Categories of Water Loss
Category 1: Clean Water
These fluids are from hygienic sources, it doesn’t present any significant risks to humans or animals when ingested or inhaled, and are considered “clean water.” However, they can quickly degrade to category 2 liquids.
Examples of Category 1 Water Loss:
- Damaged water supply lines
- A water tank or bathtub overflows with no contaminants
- Rainwater or melting snow
Category 2: Gray Water
This water consists of contaminants that can trigger ailment or health issues when ingested or exposed to. Called “gray water,” it has a substantial quantity of chemical or biological pollutants. It might have an organic or inorganic matter that can trigger health issues.
Examples of Category 2 Water Loss:
- Overflows from washing machines or dishwashers
- Overflows from toilet bowls (urine only)
- Busted fish tank
- Punctured water beds
Category 3: Black Water
The worst classification of water damage is grossly unhygienic. It could cause severe illness or casualty if ingested. This type of water damage after a flood is best left to the care of professional water remediation companies.
Examples of Category 3 Water Loss:
- Commode backflow stemming from the toilet trap
- Sewage backflow
- Flooding from seawater
- Floods from catastrophic origins include tropical storms, hurricanes, and other related weather disturbances
The Four Classes of Water Loss
Class 1: Slow Rate of Evaporation
A class 1 water loss may impact only a part of a room or an area or include more significant areas that have taken in marginal moisture. Materials affected have low-permeance or low-porosity such as particleboard, structural wood, vinyl floor tile, plywood, or concrete.
Class 2: Fast Rate of Evaporation
A class 2 water loss affects the entire room and materials such as carpet or cushions. Water seepage has gone less than 24 inches up the walls. Moisture remains in structural materials like particleboard, plywood, structural wood, and concrete.
Class 3: Fastest Rate of Evaporation
Water might have come from overhead. The ceilings, walls, carpetings, cushions, insulation, bricks, concrete, and subfloor are saturated with the greatest amount of water.
Class 4: Specialty Drying Situations
Specialty drying includes materials with low permeance or low porosity, such as hardwood, plaster, lightweight concrete, rock, and crawl spaces. There are deep pockets of saturation that require very low humidity; this class commonly requires longer drying out times and may need emergency restoration from a reputable restoration company.
Conclusion
If you have experienced water damage or any water-related disaster, it is vital to recognize what water categories and classes you will take care of. This information will help the remediation company determine the mitigation strategy and restoration after the cleaning and drying out stages.
Different water categories and classes have particular needs; they are dealt with differently, requiring various tools and approaches to lessen the impact of the water damage. It will be more cost-efficient if the promptly conducted mitigation and restoration work.
