What Is Category 2 Water Damage?

12/1/2022 (Permalink)

Water damage is a serious issue that can lead to mold, mildew and even structural damage. If you have water damage, it's important that you don't ignore it because if left untreated it could lead to more serious problems like structural damage. In this article we'll go over what category 2 water damage is and how to tell if you have it in your house so you can take preventative measures immediately!

What Is Category 2 Water Damage?

Category 2 water damage is also called gray water. It’s water that has been contaminated by sewage or septic waste. You may think that if you don’t see any visible signs of sewage, the damage isn’t as bad as it could be. But this isn't always the case. When it comes to category 2 water damage, you should always call a professional—even if you don't see any visible signs of sewage in your carpet or other surfaces right away.

Gray water can be caused by a burst pipe, a toilet overflow or even a backed up sewer line (the latter two are usually found in older homes). This type of category 2 damage often happens behind walls where there aren't many people to notice it until after the fact when the smoke detectors go off due to discoloration on the ceiling from mold growth which happened as soon as moisture got into those areas and started growing spores much faster than usual because there wasn't enough ventilation for them at all!

Category 2 water damage

Clean water is the kind you drink, cook with and bathe in. Gray water is dirty water that comes from things like sinks, tubs and washing machines. It can contain soap residue and other contaminants that damage your Santa Monica, CA home or belongings if not handled properly.

This type of damage usually occurs after a flood or leak in your home's plumbing system, but it can also be caused by flooding due to an overflowing toilet or sink.

How can I tell if the water is clean or gray?

You can tell if the water is clean or gray by how it looks.

If your water is clear, then it's clean and there's no need to worry about any of the dangers associated with gray waters. This type of water does not contain any dangerous additives like bleach or other chemicals that could be harmful for you and your family. If yours is clear, you are safe!

However, if yours has a milky white color to it, then that means that there may be some contaminants present in your home from either sewage backup or flooding caused by high winds during a storm surge (a storm surge occurs when hurricane winds blow against low-lying areas). When this happens, these contaminants will travel into your plumbing system causing damage along their way before finally filling up in places such as bathtubs and sinks with no place else to go except for outside through drains where homeowners might not notice until much later on down the line when they start seeing problems arise due to dirty water being flushed through pipes leading outwards towards other parts of town where people live happily unaware until they come back home one day only find out things weren't quite right when they see their house flooded...

How do I prevent gray water from happening?

To prevent gray water from happening in the first place, shut off the water supply to your home. Then, call a professional to come and assess your situation. After that, do not use any of the water until they have tested it and found that it is safe for use. This is because even though you might think that taking a shower will be okay (because what else are you going to do?), using water when there is sewage present can lead to contamination of other areas in your home.

Additionally, don't flush toilets or run any faucets until testing has been done. If you do use anything that contains electricity while there's still sewage around (like an appliance), make sure it's unplugged before doing so! Lastly—and this one should go without saying—don't clean up any messes with cleaning supplies unless instructed by a professional as well!

If you suspect you have sewage, or gray water in your house, call a professional immediately.

A professional, like those from SERVPRO of Santa Monica/Venice Beach, can help you determine what type of water damage you have and how best to proceed with the cleanup process. If sewage or gray water has been released into your home, a professional will be able to identify it and begin the clean-up process immediately. If left unattended for any length of time, this kind of damage can become extremely expensive and dangerous.