Water Damage Category & Class
The IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification), an organization that determines standards for water damage restoration, identified and differentiated categories of water and classes of water damage. Listed in the IICRC’s S500 standards, there are three categories water.
The following information will help you to understand the many technical terms and definitions associated with water damage restoration.
Category 1 – This category consists of water from a sanitary water source and poses no major health risks. Typically, category 1 water damage is the result of ruptured clean water. Once Category 1 water is released from its source, it can become contaminated and deteriorate to Category 2 or 3 water.
Category 2 – This water is contaminated and potentially harmful. Examples of this category of water damage is typically “overflow” water from an appliance, toilet, aquarium or waterbed. As with Category 1, Category 2 water can further deteriorate and result in increased health risks.
Category 3 – This water spill is grossly contaminated and may be highly toxic. Category 3 water may contain raw sewage, chemicals, heavy metals or toxic organic substances. Likely contain pathogenic, toxigenic, or other harmful agents, Category 3 water is particularly dangerous and requires immediate attention.
Class of Water is determined by the probable rate of evaporation based on the materials affected by water damage. Identifying the Class of Water will help determine equipment required for effective water damage restoration.
Class 1 – Part of a room or area was affected. In this scenario only slightly permeable materials with low absorption rates, such as plywood or concrete, are affected. Class 1 Water has a slow evaporation rate, exemplifies the smallest amount of water damage and the easiest water damage restoration
Class 2 – This level affects an entire room, saturating permeable materials wicking up the walls at least 12” with moisture remaining in building materials. Class 2 water damage has a fast evaporation rate.
Class 3 – In this scenario; ceilings, walls, insulation, carpet and sub-floors are saturated. The water may have come from overhead and has the fastest evaporation rate.
Class 4 – This class consists of specialty drying situations, in which enough water has spilled and time elapsed to saturate materials with very low permeability such as hardwoods or masonry. In this instance, structural drying will be prolonged.
Whether the water damage restoration is done with a franchise or independent restoration service, it is of the utmost importance that the technician have the proper training and equipment to successfully complete the job.
Contact Property Recovery 911 for prompt and professional water restoration services