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Water damage inside your home is broken down into categories. For example, category 1 is considered clean water damage and is easy to manage. Then, you have category 2, which is gray water damage. This type is slightly contaminated. Finally, there’s black water damage, or category 3, which is highly contaminated and can lead to illness, disease, and infection.
Typically, black water stems from groundwater flooding or sewage backups. As a result, the water is loaded with contamination, microbes, and biohazards. You don’t want to mess around with black water. Any object touched by the water damage will need to be cleaned and sanitized.
Sources of Black Water Damage
More often than not, black water damage stems from groundwater flooding or sewage waste. The most common occurrence is when a recently used toilet overflows onto the bathroom floor. Human waste, especially fecal matter, is a biohazardous material. It can cause illness, spread pathogens, and lead to long-term disease.
Additionally, kitchen sinks can lead to black water damage. A kitchen sink is a useful tool for cooking and cleaning, but it typically contains grease, oils, and food chunks that decay and carry all manner of germs. If your kitchen sink overflows, the results are nearly the same as a toilet overflow in terms of germs and bacteria.
Dangers of Black Water
As we previously mentioned, black water is known to contain bacteria and viruses that lead to countless diseases and infections. Most commonly, black water leads to hepatitis, cryptosporidiosis, gastroenteritis, giardiasis, leptospirosis, and wound infections if you have a cut or scrape.
There’s also campylobacteriosis, which is one of the most common diarrheal illnesses in the country. It’s a relatively common infection that comes from ingesting or inhaling black water or contaminated water. If the infection spreads to the bloodstream, it can become life-threatening quickly.
Call in Water Damage Experts
Most homeowners in such a situation find themselves instinctively reaching for the mop and bucket. However, that’s not how you clean water damage. Your best bet, and really the only true solution, is to call a local restoration company.
The risk of contamination and property damage from black water is simply too high to deal with on your own. Most homeowners are not equipped or trained to handle such high levels of contamination. A local restoration team, on the other hand, is prepared. They utilize the most advanced restoration equipment in the field.
First, the team will remove all standing water and sewage matter. Then, the area is thoroughly dried using dehumidifiers and air movers. Next, anything the black water touched is sanitized or disposed of properly. It’s a step-by-step process with guaranteed results.
When dealing with black water damage, call your local Restoration 1. Our teams have the experience and drive you need to take back your home!
