Categorizing Water Damage

Category 1: Clean water
Sources: Treated water supply lines, rainwater infiltration, appliance malfunction, sink overflow
Level of contamination: Low
Category 1 water is the easiest to manage. Be sure to address any damage within 24-48 hours to reduce the likelihood of potentially hazardous microbial growth.

Category 2: Gray/Grey water/greywater
Sources: Storm drain backups, sprinkler systems, untreated HVAC/cooling water, some surface water
Level of contamination: Slight to severe
Category 2 water may pose an elevated health risk to those dealing with cleanup. It may appear cloudy or carry an unpleasant odor. Loss of some property and materials is likely.

Category 3: Black water/Blackwater
Source: Sewer backflow, ALL floodwater (from rivers, ponds, streams, the ocean)
Level of contamination: High
Category 3 water is very likely to carry infectious viruses and bacteria, parasites, and toxic and allergenic materials. Any floodwater from any source that passes over the ground is considered contaminated. This type of water may be identified by a cloudy appearance, the presence of debris and a strong odour. Cleanup and restoration efforts after Category 3 water damage can be very difficult and will require extreme care regarding contaminants. Most damaged materials will be unsalvageable.

Prepare

A water loss is always an unexpected event. And with such a broad range of potential contributors to this type of damage, it can be daunting to try to cover all bases when it comes to preparation. The single most important factor in how quickly and smoothly a home or business can recover from a water loss is whether a contingency plan is in place before the event is at the doorstep.

Some things to consider when building a response plan for a home or workplace:

Pre-crisis action items:

• Understand your insurance policy. Does it include a flood rider? Most policies need this to be specifically added by the policy holder. If it does, know your coverage. Oftentimes, flood and water damage are not a “total restore” under the policy, meaning that the loss may be covered only up to a percentage. If this is the case, it may be worth speaking with your provider about extending your coverage.
• Regularly inspect the property and identify any areas in need of attention. Maintain roofing, doors, windows and their casings, and HVAC exhaust vents. Regularly clear gutters, downspouts and drain catches of debris. These areas are the most common contributors to persistent, non-catastrophic water damage. Perform any necessary repairs as soon as possible. Deferred maintenance is far and away the leading contributor to non-flood-related water damage.
• In properties with basements, be sure to have a sump pump and have it inspected and serviced regularly. Repair and replace as needed.
• Ensure that the building’s grading and landscaping are engineered to draw water away from the structure. Consider adding drain catches, downspout extensions and other methods of redirecting heavy rainfall.
• Know where the water shutoff valve is.
• Consider partnering with a company specializing in loss mitigation and recovery. Do this before an event is expected. This gives the specialists an opportunity to familiarize themselves with your team, your facility and any particular considerations your home or business may require. We often hear that the greatest benefit to working with First Onsite is the Emergency Response Plan (ERP). The ERP is an individualized, actionable plan that we build with each client to ensure a seamless, rapid response to catastrophe.

Immediate crisis preparation steps:

• Make every possible effort to avoid a loss, and document your efforts. Lay sandbags, move precious or valuable items to the highest floor or location possible, etc.
• In a commercial setting, communicate with the property management team regarding their efforts. Having this documented in writing is a best practice for help in any possible claims processes later.
• Move as much sensitive equipment and technology as time will allow. Document these efforts with photos, video and itemized lists.
• If the home or business is situated in an area where catastrophic flooding events commonly occur, prepare yourself/the facility with a backup power source and emergency essentials (a first aid kit, flashlights, emergency radio, battery-operated charger, water, food, etc.).
• Familiarize yourself/your facilities teams with the proper method of disposal for contaminated water. Contact your local hazardous waste program about this BEFORE an emergency arises. It’s the law!
• Partnering with a loss mitigation and restoration team can take care of many of these steps to protect your property, leaving you to handle what’s most important: people.

Remember: It will always be costlier to repair water damage than prevent it. The cost to hire a maintenance professional to assess and service your property will be much cheaper to absorb than the potential expense of damage due to deferred maintenance.

React

In the event of water damage or flood, response is even more important than preparation. How quickly after an incident do you need to react? As soon as is safely possible, ideally, within 24-48 hours.

In both commercial and residential settings, the first priority is safety.

• Until the category of water (see above) is known, keep people and pets away from the affected area. Water entering a building from outside has contaminants in it and must be handled carefully. Anyone coming in contact with the floodwater should wear personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Turn off electrical breakers BEFORE coming in contact with the floodwater/standing water/bound water. If they cannot be reached without walking through water, contact a professional.
• Do not use any heating systems or appliances.

Once it is safe to enter the affected space:

• For internal leaks, turn off the water valve at the source. If dealing with floodwater, try to stem or redirect the flow of water coming into the building.
• Document, document, document. Photos, video, and detailed, itemized lists are your best allies should you need to file an insurance claim. Also document any efforts at loss prevention that you have employed. A carrier may decline coverage if no effort to prevent an anticipated flood loss had been made.
• Contact your insurance provider to notify them ahead of a potential catastrophic event. Simply notifying the provider does not mean that you will need to start a claim. Failure to notify your insurer at the first sign of damage can allow them to deny a future claim. Upon notice, they may elect to send their own representative to inspect the damage. Document when the provider expects this person to arrive and the date when he or she does arrive.
• When dealing with Category 2 or 3 (contaminated) water, it is imperative to seal off the affected area in order to limit the spread of contaminants. Some situations may require the disabling climate and ventilation systems to isolate airborne contamination. In other instances, the HVAC/ventilation system may aid in the drying process. A disaster mitigation specialist can help identify best practices for your situation.
• If this stage is improperly handled, there is a very real possibility that damage can spread and mold can grow, exponentially increasing your recovery timeline and costs. Depending on various factors (climate, ventilation, the condition of the structure, etc.), even clean water in a residential setting can begin producing mold within a few days.
• Remove any delicate, valuable or moisture-sensitive items that may have been damaged. Document each item and detail its damage.
• If possible, move any affected furniture out of the affected area. If this isn’t an option, raise it out of any standing water with plastic blocks or bowls. Document each item and detail its damage.

The smartest move you can make when facing any amount of water or flood damage is to call a disaster restoration specialist. The knowledge, tools, and documentation processes they can offer will far outpace any efforts you or your facilities teams could employ on your own. Many of these professional teams will also handle communication with insurance, making your recovery effort run smoothly and efficiently.

Recover

Once the immediate reaction steps are handled, you’ll be left with a mess to clean up. Whatever the size of the mess, a water loss recovery effort is delicate process. Safety must always be the first priority.

• Remove any standing water as quickly as possible. Depending on the amount and category of water you are handling, this may require specialized pumps, a wet vac and/or mopping. Materials that have come into contact with Category 2 or 3 water will require extensive cleaning, sanitization and drying. Testing for hazardous materials (lead, asbestos, etc.) may also be necessary. These processes are best handled by a professional team.
• Look for signs of bound water – water suspended in the ceiling or wall – and release it by cutting holes for drainage. Any wallpaper or wall coverings must be removed to allow the area to fully dry. A “flood cut” (or removal of a portion of drywall – usually the bottom few feet) may be necessary to completely dry any materials housed behind it.
• Begin the dehumidification process. Water in the air can be an irritant and must be properly balanced. Air movement, light, and dehumidification are your biggest allies in the drying process.
• Mould is now the chief concern. In some cases (but not all!), air conditioning and open windows can be of help. While warm air can support faster evaporation and more effective drying, it can also encourage microbial growth. Cool air has a much slower rate of microbial growth but is less effective at drying and could actually add to the problem by increasing levels of condensation. Mold can begin to grow in just 48 hours. Improperly handled, it can cause sickness or even death. Be sure you are taking the necessary steps to keep your home or workplace safe. A professional will be able to assess a particular situation and identify the proper response.
• Find areas of the building that are not easily accessible to dry. Make sure that every area affected, and every type of material affected is known – each will have its own drying time.
• Document newly discovered damage as it is found. Often an insurance adjuster/representative will not arrive on site for 7-10 days, well after restoration efforts have begun. It is important to have the full extent of the damage documented for your records.
• Do not begin repair or restoration efforts until all areas are completely dry. Trapped moisture will very likely lead to greater problems down the line – hazardous conditions, business downtime, or an impact to the resale value of the property or home. A professional team will have specialized tools to handle this – hygrometers, moisture meters, infrared cameras, and – most helpful of all – a wealth of experience.

In almost every situation, we recommend working with a professional team. Having the job done correctly from day one saves time, confusion and, ultimately, expense. First Onsite can handle all the necessary documentation, mitigation, and recovery efforts to return your property to its pre-loss condition as quickly as possible. Our managers communicate completely, giving you an idea of what to expect, a timeline, an estimate, and a projected deadline. As the recovery process progresses, our clients can expect regular communication with a professional, experienced, knowledgeable and uniformed staff.

Repair

Embarking on the repair and restoration process can be overwhelming. Where to begin? What can be salvaged? Should different materials be used in the rebuild to mitigate future damage if I should suffer a repeat loss? An industry professional equipped with tools, knowledge and manpower can ensure that your restoration process runs smoothly and efficiently – answering your questions, guiding you through the process, and getting you back to work or back in your home as quickly as possible.

To give you an idea of what to expect when embarking on a water restoration effort, here we’ve compiled some quick tips on salvageability and the repair process by area of concern:

Flooring Repair
When trying to salvage and repair flooring, the necessary first step is to identify the extent of the damage. Has water reached the baseboards/base moulding? The subfloor? If these are wet, swollen or warped, they will need to be completely dried and, in some cases, replaced.

• Carpet – In almost all cases, carpet padding will need to be replaced. Good quality carpet in good condition may be salvageable in instances of Category 1 (clean) water damage. It must always be replaced after exposure to Category 2 (contaminated) water.
• Hardwood & engineered wood – These materials will swell after contact with water and will take a long time to dry. They may be able to be sanded and refinished to be reused.
• Ceramic tile – Tile is extremely resistant to water damage. If the water should travel underneath the tile to the subfloor, the tile would need to be pulled up to fully dry the underlying area.
• Laminate – Laminate flooring is ruined if it absorbs any substantial amount of water and almost always needs to be replaced.
• Vinyl sheeting – This material is quite resistant to water damage and is the least likely to need replacing. Should water get trapped between the sheeting and the subfloor, the vinyl would need to be pulled up to adequately dry.

Drywall Repair

Structurally compromised drywall will need to be replaced. But if dealt with immediately, wet drywall can often be salvaged. A moisture meter can aid in measuring the extent of the damage. Cutting small, patchable weep holes at regular intervals will help to release any bound water and ventilate the inner wall. If the materials behind the wall (insulation, wooden studs, wiring, etc.) are wet, a “flood cut” or removal of a portion of drywall, may be necessary.

Ceiling Repair

Bound water – or water trapped in a ceiling or wall after an event – must be released. Cut weep holes in the ceiling where there are signs of sagging or delamination to let this water escape and to better ventilate the area. Replace any ceiling tiles with visible damage (discoloration, swelling, warping, etc.). Be sure to allow the affected area to dry completely before patching and restoring.

Basement Repair

As soon as a problem becomes apparent, the best move is to engage a professional to identify the extent of the damage and outline next steps. Basement repair is never simple or cheap. Even temporary solutions, such as epoxy-based fillers for cracks in the foundation or additional sump pumps and dehumidifiers, will always need to be re-addressed down the line. Working with an experienced, knowledgeable professional ensures the best possible outcome for your unique situation.

High-rise Building Repair

Repairing after a flood or water damage event in a high-rise building can be an intricate puzzle. The damage is typically excessive – sprinkler systems and water supply breaches can put out incredible amounts of water in very short periods of time. This water doesn’t always move directly downwards. Water may move sideways above a ceiling across several units, then down an elevator shaft and seep sideways onto a different floor. For commercial or residential high-rise buildings, we always recommend engaging a professional to aid in tracking the damage.

Furniture, Office Furniture & Technology Repair

Furniture and technology damage is often top of mind for those who have suffered a water loss, and with good reason: Judgments about the salvageability of these items are among the first that must be made. Damage to furniture from Category 1 (clean) water is often able to be remedied. The items may be dried, and judgments made on a case-by-case basis. Any soft goods or upholstered items that have come into contact with Category 2 or 3 (contaminated) water will likely need to be replaced. Depending on the extent of the damage, wooden furniture may be able to be dried, treated and restored. Technology and hardware – computers, phones, copiers, printers, etc. – do not fare well when it comes to water exposure.

Helping You Rise

Now that you’re familiar with the basic principles behind water damage recovery, you probably have a good sense of what types of damage you or your team can handle. Every emergency is unique. Preparation and planning for different water scenarios can go a long way in keeping your team or family ready to respond, and keeping your property protected from the worst damage.

Simple Category 1, clean water situations may be relatively easy to clean up, as long as you can respond within 24-48 hours.

In the case of a Category 2 or 3 flood involving contaminated water, you will want to call in an emergency restoration partner like First Onsite, even if you have the in-house resources to help tackle the job.  With an advanced understanding of health and safety regulations, and the specialization to handle any water damage situation, we will help get you back to normal as quickly, safely and cost-effectively as possible.

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