There are different types of damage caused by water. Knowing three types and determining what type attacked our home can help us in deciding what action fits it.
Water can cause a lot of damage to our property as well as to our health and lives. Water damage results from water penetrating surfaces of materials and systems thus creating loss and damage. There are many sources of water. Among the many are inadequate drainage, rusting, freezing and bursting of water pipes. It may also be due to sinks and toilets blocked up as well as leaky roofs and faulty windows.
Damage can cause irreparable loss to property and hazard to health and life. This requires prompt action to avoid things from getting worse and to illuminate unwanted effects that water brings. It is important to know the different types of water that causes the damage that penetrated our area. Knowing the type of water that is damaged can help us determine how we will act.
The three categories of water that can cause damage are clean water, gray water, and black water. These water categories have their own sensitivity level and require a different approach and technique when one cleans it up.
Clean water has the characteristic of clear tap water. This category is not much harmful as the name suggests. The reasons of clean water occurrence are spills and overflows. Clean water can be easily restored and remedied. You can simply remove this water from the surface and dry out the place immediately. Apply disinfectants on affected areas to kill developing bacteria. Be sure to act upon clean water right away as it will possibly turn to grey in time.
Greywater on the other hand has a murky gray coloring. This is harmful already since it contains chemicals and some biological and physical contaminants. This is often caused by appliance malfunction and spills or leakage. Working on greywater requires caution as it may be very uncomfortable and risky to work with. You may want to call professionals for repair and remediation if you assess that you cannot handle it. But if you prefer to work on your own, wear a mask and gloves to avoid contamination. Bear in mind that greywater can cause illnesses and can trigger some allergies.
Blackwater is the deadliest category among the three. It carries with it bacteria, chemicals, and fungus. Not only does black water damage our property, but it is extremely hazardous to our health and lives. Calling professionals is a must. It is never recommended that a person without any experience dealing with it. This kind of water may cause a violent reaction to our bodies, serious ailments, and worse death.
Knowing the category that caused the damage can help a lot and from there you can decide what steps to remove and remedy it. But as they say, prevention is better than cure. We can always prevent water from getting into our homes by a regular inspection of the common causes.
