Category 3 Water Damage Inspection & Testing in Orlando
Have you experience water damage from a contaminated water source?
Water damage from a hurricane, flood, sewage back-up/overflow, or a leak with pooling water that was not caught for a substantial amount of time can cause Category 3 water damage in Orlando Florida.
Examples of Category 3 water can include, but are not limited to:
- Sewage
- Waistline backflows that originate from beyond any trap regardless of visible content or color
- All forms of flooding from seawater
- Rising water from rivers or streams
- Other contaminated water entering or affecting the indoor environment, such as wind-driven rain from hurricanes, tropical storms, or other weather-related events
Clean water can deteriorate to Category 2 or 3 water over time.
The national standard for professional water damage restoration is the IICRC S500-2021. As per the S500-2021, Category 3 water is “grossly contaminated and can contain pathogenic, toxigenic, or other harmful agents and can cause significant adverse reactions to humans if contacted or consumed. Category 3 water can carry trace levels or regulated or hazardous materials (e.g. pesticides or toxic organic substances).”
Category 3 (black water) events are handled differently than clean water events. Insurance company vendors may try to dry out your home or business and leave contaminated materials.
Insurance companies may avoid following the national standard for Category 3 water events to try to minimize their financial loss. Some remediation contractors may cut corners to minimize time at your site.
It is important that a Category 3 water loss be assessed properly to ensure that remediation work is performed in-line with the national standard.
