Understanding Categories and Classes of Water Damage Water damage category

Categories of water damage are mainly defined by the type of water that has caused the damage. The higher the category, the less sanitary the water. If you know the source of your flood, let the water damage crews know. It will help them identify the category of water damage you have, so they can be proceed with best practices.

Category 1 water damage refers to water damage that has been caused by water that came from a sanitary source—floods caused by broken water supply lines, a toilet tank, a faucet, or a failed water heater, for example, would fall into this category. While Category 1 water damage is the cleanliest, it can quickly escalate into a Category 2 or 3 situation if it’s left untreated for an extended period of time or comes into contact with any kind of contaminant. To prevent Category 1 water damage from increasing in severity, you should always have it taken care of as soon as possible. In fact, this is a general rule of thumb for any sort of water damage at all.

Category 2 water damage includes water that is contaminated in some way, and could cause discomfort or illness if ingested. Grey water can come from instances like a washing machine overflow, a toilet overflow with urine, or a dishwasher overflow. In these cases, the water likely contains unsafe levels of microorganisms and/or a hospitable environment for the growth of microorganisms. Similar to Category 1, these situations can quickly escalate into a Category 3 if not properly taken care of in a timely manner.

The highest level of water damage, Category 3 refers to damage caused by grossly unsanitary water. Black water contains human and/or animal waste, along with other contaminants that could cause severe illness or even death if ingested. Sources of Category 3 water damage can include sewer backup, flooding from rivers or streams, wind driven rain, water from beyond the toilet trap, and standing water that has begun to support microbial growth. Black water is teeming with disease-causing viruses, and can cause very serious illness or even death if not treated properly.

Water damage is categorized into four classes, all varying in severity. The more water damage there is, the higher the class. When looking for water damage restoration services, you can use this list to identify which class of water damage you are experiencing on your property.

Class 1 water damage is the least severe, and easiest to deal with since it has a slow absorption rate. Only a portion of the room or area has been affected and there is little to no wet carpet to restore. In class 1 cases, moisture has only affected materials with low permeability like plywood or concrete. Water damage restoration services will be needed, but only light repairs will likely be necessary.

Class 2 water damage wreaks a little more havoc than class one. The entire room or area is affected, with moisture in the carpeting and/or cushioning. In these cases, wetness has wicked at least 12 inches up the walls, and there is moisture in structural materials—this leaves the opportunity for lasting damage to the structure of the building.

Class 3 water damage has the fastest absorption rate, with ceilings, walls, insulation, carpet, and sub-floors all saturated with moisture. The liquid may have come from overhead, and/or it has wicked up the walls over 24 inches.

Class 4 water damage means that wet materials with lower permeance like hardwood, plaster, and concrete have deep pockets of saturation. Getting rid of moisture in these materials can prove to be difficult. They may need to be treated with low levels of humidity, and often take longer drying times and more specialized methods to be remedied.