What Is Category 3 Water Damage and How Do I Handle It?

11/1/2022 (Permalink)

Category 3 water damage can result from standing water.

How Do I Handle Category 3 Water Damage?

Category 3 water damage is the worst-case scenario in home renovation. It's the type of water damage that results from sewage, standing water, and flooding from rivers, lakes, streams, and groundwater. A category 3 spill requires months of cleanup to get rid of any moldy odors that linger after a disaster strikes. This article will explain what Category 3 water is and how you can best handle it if it happens to your home or business.

What Is Category 3 Water Damage?

Category 3 water damage is a loss of water that exceeds the safe capacity of your home's drain system. This problem usually occurs during a heavy rainstorm, when sudden and severe downpours cause the drains to overflow or back up. If this happens, you may experience an immediate, but a short-lived flood. However, if there are any cracks in your foundation or below-ground pipes have been damaged due to corrosion or wear and tear, then it could take weeks for your home's foundation to dry out completely.

How Does Category 3 Water Get In My Home?

Category 3 water can get into your home in many ways. Some of which are more preventable than others:

• roof leaks (specifically those caused by flash floods)
• burst pipes (due to age)
• pouring rain onto ground saturated with groundwater (causing mudslides)
• sewer backups (due in part to clogged pipes)
• flooding caused by rising tides during high tides and hurricanes/tropical storms, etc.

How Does Category 3 Water Get in Your Home?

Category 3 water can enter your home through several sources, including broken pipes and leaking appliances. You may also have been exposed to category 3 water on the way home from work if you were in the vicinity of a flood or storm.

How Are Category 3 Water Losses Handled?

First, you want to call a professional water damage restoration company, like SERVPRO of Bradley County. Calling a professional will help ensure that the category 3 water loss is handled correctly. SERVPRO has equipment and expertise that you might not have and therefore are able to handle any category 3 water loss with ease. We work closely with your insurance, so you don’t have to worry about it as much.

If you have category 3 water in your home, it's critical to act quickly. Your personal safety is at risk and the longer you wait, the more damage category 3 water can do. If a family member becomes sick or if you notice an unusual odor—or if you see mold growing—it's time to call your insurance company and SERVPRO of Bradley County right away.

Category 3 water losses are a serious matter and should be handled by professionals. If you’re not sure if your loss is a category 3, give us a call today so we can help you determine the best course of action for your situation.