One of the most devastating incidents a homeowner can experience is water damage in their home. No one wants to find out their home has been flooded, but if it has, it’s crucial to have an emergency contact on speed dial. The most important step in water damage restoration is to act quickly. The longer water sits in a home, the more damage it causes. If you catch the issue early, you have a better chance of a speedy clean up. Depending on the type of water that has breached your home and how long it has remained stagnant is what will determine the clean up process. Homes flood for a number of reasons including clogged toilets, overflowing sinks or bathtubs, broken water lines or even natural disasters. A small 1/8-inch crack in a water line or pipe can leak up to 250 gallons of water each day! The cleaning and restoration process after water damage has occurred all depends on the type of water that has breached the home and how long the water was able to stand in the home. American Hometown Services will divulge on different categories of water damage and the restoration process today.

Types of Water Damage

Clean water or Category 1- This type of damage typically occurs when a water supply line bursts or a tub or sink overflows. If you catch this type of flood early enough, you have the best chances of a simple clean up and dry out. You may even be able to save your personal belongings that were affected.
Gray water or Category 2– This type of damage is classified as contaminated water that contains microorganisms can make one ill if it’s ingested or touched. It can come from a toilet that has overflowed with urine inside, a fish tank breaking, a sump pump failure, or other contaminated water source. It can also be caused from category 1 water that was able to sit for longer than 24-48 hours, becoming gray water.
Black water or Category 3– This type of damage occurs when water that is grossly contaminated breaches your home. It contains harmful pathogens that will make one extremely ill and requires a professional water restoration service to remove and replace anything the water has touched. Persons involved in clean up will be required to wear air purifying respirators and other PPE equipment to keep from becoming ill. This category includes water from sewage, seawater or water from natural disasters such as rising rivers or floods. Category 2 water that is not cleaned up immediately can also progress into black water.

Water Damage Restoration Process Checklist

If you’ve found that your home has suffered water damage, the first step is to quickly call an experienced water damage restoration company such as American Hometown Services. An expert in water damage restoration will then come to your home to assess and inspect the damage that has been done. Once they form a plan of action the water extraction process will begin. Once all the standing water has been removed from the home the drying and dehumidification process with then begin. This is done by using commercial dehumidifiers and air movers that speed up the drying process. After the home has been completely dried out, the cleaning and sanitizing process will then begin. Once completed, the restoration process will then take place.

Water Damage Restoration & More in Quincy, Macomb, Hamilton, Warsaw & East Alton Illinois | Hannibal, Missouri

We here at American Hometown Services have years of experience in water damage restoration. Our talented team of contractors know just what to do to get your life back to normal after a tragedy such as this. Many water restoration companies simply offer the ability to clean up after flood damage has occurred, then you’re on your own for the restoration process. American Hometown Services has full-service contractors that can help you from start to finish, with all of your water damage restoration needs. If you have further questions, or need assistance restoring your home after water damage has occurred, give us a call, we’ll be there to help you get your life back.