When it comes to a water disaster in your commercial property, not all water is the same. Category 1 water involves clean water, while category 2 water has some impurities in it that could lead to human illness. The highest level, category 3 water, is considered contaminated and should always be handled by a professional water mitigation company. A situation that calls for a water pipe repair has the potential to be any of the three categories. A broken pipe that carries clean water is a category 1. However, if that water travels from one floor to another, the water on the lower floor becomes a category 2 spill. If the water pipe carried sewer water, then the problem is now a category 3.
The Problem With Gray Water
A category 2 water spill in your building presents an added challenge to a restoration crew. For one thing, any materials or items that have been touched by the water could be contaminated. This gray water could be the result of a few different sources:
- Water that has leaked into the building at an earlier time
- Water from toilet bowls or showers
- Water from faulty appliances
- Water that has picked up impurities
The cleanup crew dealing with a water pipe repair might have to test saturated building materials and other items to determine the level of damage. In some cases, drywall and insulation might have to be replaced.
The Advantage of Professional Cleanup
A flooded basement or other room calls for skills and training that most custodial crews do not possess. Experienced technicians have the training and certifications to understand the level of cleanup that is necessary. They will remove the water and make sure there is no lingering contamination left behind, which could lead to mold growth or persistent odors. Each water pipe repair presents its own set of challenges. Many of these problems are often best handled by a professional team.
