Characteristics of Category 1 Water Damage

6/29/2022 (Permalink)

Flood cuts were performed on the drywall in a commercial building in Tarrytown, TX.

Category 1 Water Damage

In Tarrytown, TX, water damage to your business is never a good thing. It can cause unwanted downtime, leading to a loss of revenue. If you have experienced a broken pipe in your business and are trying to assess the damage, read about Category 1 water damage below.

Clean Water
Of all the categories of water damage, Category 1 is the most sanitary one. According to the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification, Category 1 water comes from hygienic water. That means you are not likely to experience any adverse effects from accidentally inhaling, drinking, or touching the water with exposed skin.
Some sources of Category 1 water include:

• Overflowing sink or tub
  
• Malfunctioning appliances
  
• Busted supply line
  
• Rain, snow, or ice melt
  
  

Believe it or not, even toilet water can be Category 1 water, so long as it involves only clean water!

Not So Clean Water
It is crucial to understand that Category 1 water can quickly degrade into either Category 2 or 3 water. For example, let’s say that your business experiences a drinking water leakage. If your business happens to be a sterile lab sanitized daily, the chances are good that the water will remain Category 1 water. On the other hand, if your business has dirt floors and you manufacture lots of chemicals, the water immediately becomes Category 2 and maybe even Category 3, depending on the extent of the contamination.
Another thing to remember is that your nose knows! Microscopic creepy crawlies love water, and if the temperature is right, they can grow their numbers exponentially. A good rule of thumb is that the category changes if you smell something awful.
Nobody wants water damage in their business in Tarrytown, TX, but Category 1 water is the best possible outcome if it does happen.