Water damage: clean, grey or black?

Water damage cleanup specialists in Kennesaw, All Star Chem Dry, are often called out to help when you have a emergency. Water damage is often the result of elements or events outside of our control like rainy, extreme weather, making it hard to predict or prevent.

Common sources of water damage  may include leaky windows, broken pipes, water heater leaks and sewer and septic tank backups. Malfunctions in your plumbing system, like a toilet or sink stopping up can also lead to severe and expensive damage.

Clean water is easiest to dry and repair damage after a flood.

One of the first things we will do is try to stop the water and determine what the source of the water is. There are a few different sources that will determine the next steps:

• Clean or white water damage: This category of damage is not considered to be such a serious threat to the health of people living in the immediate surroundings. This damage can derive from burst water supply pipes, pipe leaks and overflows and malfunctions. Water damage repairs will be needed in order to restore your carpets, rugs and furniture to their former glory if these items were affected by the water.
• Grey water damage: Grey water is dirty or used water from baths, sinks, dishwashers and other household appliances. This type of water damage can pose health risks because the water can contain chemicals and pollutants.
• Black water damage: Black water refers to sewer water. Black water can contain bacteria and viruses, which will cause serious illness if it’s not removed from the area. This type of damage occurs from stagnant water, also streams and rivers overflowing. It is imperative to obtain water damage repair services as soon as possible.

A clean water damage becomes a grey water damage if it soaks through ceilings and walls, and can even turn into a black water situation if more than a day or so passes.  You would think that rainwater or a stream is not that unsanitary, but it is impossible to know what is in that water, so to protect your health and home, it is treated carefully.

Always call with questions – a shop vac and a box fan doesn’t have a chance in a major water situation.  You insurance will pay for damage as long as you have taken prudent care to get professional help.  Call 24/7 for a quick response.