Understanding Water Damage

In spite of its life-giving properties, water possesses great destructive powers. When a natural disaster happens, water damage isn’t far away, so you have to check your home for possible damages and act quickly.

While some restoration companies opt for a one-size-fits-all approach, each type of damage due to water requires a different response. For the best water restoration results, we strongly suggest that you hire a professional restoration service in your area to ensure the safety of your home and family.

To fully understand the type of restoration services needed for damage due to water, let’s first take a look at things that cause it.

Common Causes of Water Damage

Water damage can come from a variety of sources. It could be a broken pipe, faulty plumbing, heavy rains, or flooding. Whether it is due to natural causes or man-made ones, the damage can get a whole lot worse if not fixed immediately.

Natural causes

Natural disasters such as heavy rains and floods are prime causes of water damage. High winds from storms can blow objects into windows, causing them to break and allowing rainwater to enter the home or property. Heavy rains can also cause roofs to leak, and these issues should be addressed as soon as possible.

Leaking plumbing or clogged drains

Another common cause of water problems is a leaking or broken pipe. Burst pipes can cause a massive amount of water to flood the home, damaging walls, floors, and even furniture. Clogged drains can also back up sewage and contaminated water, posing further threats to your health.

Toilet overflows

Clogged toilets, faulty plumbing, or accidental flushing of foreign objects down the toilet usually cause toilet overflows. This type of problem can also be caused by heavy rains, flash floods, or blocked sewer lines. If left unchecked, water damage from this toilet trouble can quickly spread to other areas of the home, resulting in even more damage.

A/C leakage

Air conditioner leaks are common in humid and rainy climates. These leaks can cause water to accumulate in the walls and ceilings, leading to mold growth and other problems if they remain unresolved

Three Different Types of Water Damage

There are three main types of damage due to water—clean water, gray water, and black water. Here we discuss how each one differs from the others.

Clean Water

Clean water is relatively free of contaminants, and it usually comes from broken pipes, overflowing bathtubs, or leaky faucets. Though it doesn’t pose a direct threat to one’s health and wellbeing, it can still lead to mold growth if left unchecked.

Gray water

Gray water is considered slightly contaminated and may contain chemicals, microbes, and other particles that can cause illness or infection. This water comes from bathroom sinks, washing machines, and dishwashers. For this reason, it’s important to always keep the affected areas disinfected.

Black Water

Black water is the most hazardous as it contains high levels of bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants. This type of water damage comes from sewer backup, sewage overflows, floods, or toilet backups. Black water contamination can cause serious illnesses if not dealt with quickly and properly.

The Bottom Line

When faced with any kind of damage due to water, it is important to act quickly and contact a professional water restoration company. With their help, you can be sure that the damage is contained or kept to a minimum, and the water is removed safely and effectively. Knowing in advance which type of damage you are dealing with will also help them provide the right service.

Are you looking for a water restoration service in Myrtle Beach? Contact PuroClean today; we can send our team to assess the damage and help you with the restoration process.