Effects of Water Damage
Water is a wonderful thing, and of course, we need it to survive. The convenience of having water run throughout your home is awesome. Imagine a world without running water; not a world that I would want to live in. But, running water inside your home can come at a price. That price is water damage!
Water damage is a problem that all property owners dread, even if they don’t know it yet. It can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home, your furniture, your electronics and lets not forget the very thing that is supposed to contain this water, your plumbing. Thinking, “it’s water, it will dry itself out” can be a very costly thought. In the right situation, water damage can lead to mold damage in as early as 72 hours.
Mold is an even more expensive problem to remediate. This is why hiring a water damage restoration company like Brighten Restoration is pertinent. If called in time, We can inspect and prevent damage to your home and save you thousands in repairs.
Causes of Water Damage
Now that you know that water damage is something you shouldn’t take lightly, let’s look at some of the causes of water damage. There are several causes of water damage that can come from right inside your home. That good ol’ dishwasher that makes dinner parties so much easier to clean up after is a major one. They can leak from a bad seal around the door, a broken drain, a bad supply line, a cracked enclosure, pretty much everywhere! Washing machines have the same problems, but can cause much more damage.
Some of the nastiest water damage jobs come from your toilet. Your toilet can pretty much leak from every surface and seal on it. If your lucky it’s just from the toilet tank. But, the worst cases of water damage, that can leave you swimming in water come from plumbing leaks. A pipe burst, frozen pipes, a pin hole leak in a copper pipe, broken drains, a bad solder joint, these can be the worst. With continuous water running through them, in a matter of minutes, your house can be ruined.
Now, those are just from the inside of the home. Leaky roofs, foundation cracks, floods from heavy snow or rain are also a cause. Once a home or business sustains water damage, it is imperative to start the water damage cleanup immediately. I can’t stress this fact enough. Starting water damage cleanup as soon as possible will increase the likelihood of saving water soaked materials while also saving you thousands. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen small jobs become big jobs because someone thought their dog/cat peed, or that their kids spilt water. If you see water, investigate.
Categories of Water Damage
There are three categories of water damage that need to be determined before work can begin. First off being category 1. Category 1 water while still being a pain to deal with, is the best category you can ask for. This is clean water, or water that does not pose a threat to humans. Causes include; broken appliances, sink overflows, or a broken pipe.
The next category is simply category 2. Referred to as gray water, this water is contaminated and may cause sickness if ingested. This water contains microorganisms and can come from broken toilets, broken sump pumps, and water seepage.
Lastly, we have category 3. This is the absolute worst and is known as black water. It, is unsanitary water containing bacteria and other organisms that cause severe sickness and can even be fatal. The sources of water include; sewage problems and contamination of standing water. Yes, category 1 water can sit long enough and become category 3 water. Have you ever left ice/water in a cooler after a camping trip to then need it months later? Enough said.
For more information on categories of water damage visit here.
Restoration Process
Following our restoration process, we can help our customers save belongings and even prevent lasting damage. Brighten Restoration specializes in mitigating the effects of water. The amount we are able to save depends on the severity, type of water, and the time the water has been present. For example, water in a basement may only require a short cleanup process, while water that has been sitting in a bathroom for a week can require extensive remediation. Not to sound like a broken record, but if you see water, investigate!
24 Hour Emergency Service
Brighten Restoration is a family owned local commercial and residential restoration company. We offer water cleanup and restoration services, mold mitigation and remediation throughout Oregon. Every inspection is free of charge.
Once you have the water shutoff or have tried and cannot figure it out
Call us Immediately