What Is Category 2 Water Damage?

If your Victoria, MN 55386 business is flooded, it’s important to understand that not all water is equal when it comes to the cleanup process. A supply line that just needs a water pipe repair is vastly different from natural flooding. While time is of the essence whenever water infiltrates a property, know the difference before diving in.


Water Categories

There are three main classes of water loss, all of which require different safety measures to address.



Category 1: Clean Water – Although no water damage is good, this is the best kind to have. This type of water loss is caused by a sanitary source and poses no safety risks from contaminants or chemicals. Sources may include a broken pipe, sink overflow, appliance malfunctions, melted snow, broken toilet tank or trickling rainwater.


Category 2: Grey Water – This category comes from sources that may have chemicals or minimal levels of microorganism. Examples include dishwasher discharge, toilet bowl overflow with no feces or a broken aquarium. While not as safe as the first classification, it poses minimal risks unless ingested.


Category 3: Black Water – This is unsafe water that is extremely contaminated. It typically involves sewage, contaminated floodwaters and back flow issues. Along with feces, pathogens and microorganisms, it may also include debris if due to flooding.



Damage Can Increase to a New Category

As a business owner, you know making a water pipe repair fast is essential to reducing damage. Addressing the water itself also needs to happen quickly. Even if you are faced with a clean water issue, if it is not dried properly, it can quickly evolve into Category 2 or 3. Mold can start forming within 48 hours in the right conditions. Once that happens, the building will be faced with many more issues that could linger if not properly addressed.

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