Water damage can be incredibly destructive, resulting in rotted wood, ruined insulation, and widespread mold growth. Depending on the source of the water, a leak or burst pipe can spread pathogens throughout your home. Here’s an overview of the major sources of water penetration issues and the type of water damage repair you may need.

What Are the Categories of Water Damage?

1. Clean Water

Clean water damage can come from malfunctioning appliances, roof leaks, or broken water lines. While the water itself can cause extensive damage to the structure of the house, it isn’t contaminated with human waste or other dangerous materials. In these cases, water damage repair typically focuses on removing saturated materials or fully drying them out.

2. Gray Water

Category 2 water leaks are contaminated by chemicals or biological materials. For instance, a broken drain under the dishwasher can expose your home to detergents and bacteria, which may cause illness and discomfort for your family or pets.

To safely clean up gray water, damage remediation experts typically need to wear safety equipment and thoroughly disinfect the area. If not treated immediately, a category 2 leak can become a category 3 event.

3. Black Water

Any water intrusion contaminated by raw sewage is considered “black water,” which can quickly spread dangerous bacteria and viruses. Because they’re dangerous, these events are classified as category 3 and require the expertise of highly trained water damage repair specialists. Black water leaks can occur due to a broken sewage line, a leaking toilet, or flood water that enters the building from outside.

Whether your roof has a leak or your basement has flooded, the water damage repair experts at Restoration 1-Greater Milwaukee in Wisconsin are standing by to fully restore your home. Their teams use only the most advanced equipment on the market, and have the expertise to repair any type of water damage safely. Visit their website to learn how they can help, or call (414) 269-0204 for fast, 24-hour service.