When you get wind of water damage, the probabilities are that you automatically categorize it by what was damaged: ceiling or walls, floors, basement, or roof. While these are all normal sites for water damage to emerge, most water damage is categorized based on what type of water caused the damage from the start. Truthfully, there are three different types of water damage based on the contamination level of the water, each of which takes a different approach to clean up and restoration.
When water damage develops, most Yelm property owners just want to bring things back to where they were. Yet, to achieve that as effectively as anticipated, you need to recognize what the different categories of water damage are and what to perform to address and repair your property after each one.
Category 1: Clean Water
The most familiar form of water damage inside residential properties is clean water damage. Clean water comes from broken plumbing in and around the house, including sinks and bathtubs, appliance hoses, and supply lines. Clean water damage is the least difficult to prevent and clean up after because there is no fear of contamination or toxins in the water.
While even clean water can cause mold if the water damage is not cleaned correctly, on many occasions, clean water damage can be handled by the tenant, Yelm property manager, property owner, or, if sufficiently critical, by a restoration company.
Category 2: Greywater
The second type of water damage is greywater damage. Greywater (also spelled graywater) is water that has been used recently. In a residential setting, greywater comes from the washing machine, the toilets, and bathtub drains. This wastewater is not simply water – it consists of chemicals, soap residue, detergent, and waste. Because of that, water damage caused by greywater can be more difficult to clean up. The affected area must be replaced and disinfected before being safe to use again.
Category 3: Blackwater
The third main type of water damage is blackwater damage. Blackwater damage is the most severe kind of water damage because it can bring serious health risks. Blackwater typically contains sewage, seawater, river or groundwater, and even water from dishwashers. Blackwater brings harmful bacteria and diseases, which indicates you’ll need true professionals to help you clean up and restore your property after blackwater damage.
Any objects or materials damaged with blackwater must be removed and destroyed – they cannot be cleaned up. This mean flooring, drywall, furniture, doors, and so forth. Next, the structures underneath must be completely dried and disinfected before renovations continue.
Water damage can be complex to manage, both for you and your tenants. It’s necessary to identify how to handle the different types of water damage to safeguard their safety and quickly restore your property to habitable.
The greatest way to repair and prevent water damage is to hire Real Property Management Imagine to manage your rental. Our team of rental property management experts can promptly assess the situation and take the appropriate steps to get your rental property back to business as usual. Contact us online to learn more.
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