The Dos and Donts of Diy Water Damage Clean Up

Being a home or property owner can have its share of complications. No matter how handy you are, sometimes it’s difficult to know when you can repair something yourself and when you need to call in the professionals.

One situation that may leave you in this quadry is when your home or property suffers water damage . While some clean up jobs can be safely done on your own, there are types of water issues that should be taken care of by professionals for the sake of everyone’s safety and wellbeing.

In this article, we will explore the three different types of water damage your home or property could sustain and how to know when you need a professional to come in for clean up.

Category 1 Water Damage

If your home or property is going to sustain any kind of water damage, you want it to be this kind. Also known as “clean water” damage, this type of damage doesn’t pose a threat of harm to either people or pets.

This type of water damage happens thanks to the following:

• Appliance malfunctions
• Overflowing bathtubs or sinks
• Melting ice or snow
• Rainwater
• Broken toilet tanks and bowls

The good news with this kind of water damage is that it’s safe for you to clean yourself if you feel comfortable doing so. However, you need to keep in mind that your clean up cannot wait. It should be done promptly and appropriately because the damage can escalate.

It only takes about 48 hours for indoor mold to begin forming from untreated water damage. Mold growth will quickly escalate your category 1 into the more damaging categories.

Category 2 Water Damage

Category 2 Water Damage is also known as gray water. This type of water is contaminated and could cause sickness if ingested. This water may be contaminated with chemicals or the water itself may have biological contamination such as microorganisms that are harmful for people and pets.

This type of water damage could result from:

• Broken dishwashers or washing machines
• Overflowing toilets with urine only
• Sump pump failures
• Fire sprinkler water
• Untreated Category 1 water

This category of damage can be tricky to clean up yourself. Because of the contamination, it is important that you address all the damaged areas and promptly decontaminate the area. Contaminated danger isn’t always easy to detect. A professional will be able to use sophisticated equipment to measure contamination in all areas for proper clean up.

Because of the threat it poses to your family and pets, it is a good idea to call a professional on this one if you are not an experienced in water damage clean up.

Category 3 Water Damage

Category 3 is the worst possible type that could happen to your home or business. Also known as “black water” it is damage caused by heavily contaminated water. Not only is ingestion of this type of water out of the question, direct contact should be avoided as well. This type of water contains pathogens or toxins that are extremely harmful to both people and pets.

This type of water damage could be the result of the following incidents:

• A backed up sewer
• A toilet overflow that contains feces
• Ground surface water mixed with sewage
• Rising water from rivers or streams
• Category 2 water damage that has not been properly cleaned up

It is essential that you leave this type of water damage to a trustworthy professional restoration company.

Alpha Omega has been a trusted name in water damage restoration for homes and businesses in the South Central Montana area since 2006. Serving the Billings area with comprehensive and safe restoration services, we can help you detect where all damage is with our state of the art equipment and help you get your home or business back in safe working order quickly.