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Three Types of Water Damage You NEED to Know About

Tigard Rental Home Being Restored After a FloodWhen you find out there’s water damage, the odds are that you immediately categorize it by what was damaged: ceiling or walls, floors, basement, or roof. While these are all common places for water damage to occur, most water damage is categorized based on what type of water caused the damage in the first place. There are actually three different types of water damage based on the contamination level of the water, each of which requires a different approach to clean up and restore.

When water damage transpires, many Leander property owners just want to get everything back to normal. But, in order to do so as effectively as feasible, it’s vital to identify what the different categories of water damage are and what to do to address and repair your property one after the other.

Category 1: Clean Water

The most common form of water damage inside residential properties is clean water damage. Clean water is seen in broken plumbing in and around the house, like sinks and bathtubs, appliance hoses, and supply lines. Clean water damage is the easiest to prevent and get rid of because there is no risk of contamination or toxins in the water.

While even clean water can cause mold if the water damage is not managed appropriately, most of the time, clean water damage can be handled by the tenant, Leander property manager, property owner, or, if sufficiently bad, by a restoration company.

Category 2: Greywater

The second type of water damage is greywater damage. Greywater (also written graywater) is water that has been used before. In a residential setting, greywater comes from the washing machine, the toilets, and bathtub drains. This wastewater is not only water – it holds chemicals, soap residue, detergent, and waste. As a result, water damage caused by greywater can be more complicated to get rid of. 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 harmful kind of water damage because it can result in serious health risks. Blackwater often comes from sewage, seawater, river or groundwater, and even dishwashers. Blackwater contains dangerous bacteria and diseases; that’s why you need trustworthy 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 includes flooring, drywall, furniture, doors, and all that. Then, the structures underneath must be completely dried and disinfected before renovations begin.

Water damage can be difficult to deal with, both for you and your tenants. It’s imperative to determine how to handle the different types of water damage to safeguard their safety and swiftly restore your property to being habitable.

 

The simplest approach to repair and prevent water damage is to hire Real Property Management All Connect to manage your rental. Our team of rental property management experts can quickly 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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