The reality is that after significant water damage it can often be difficult to restore your home on your own to a habitable condition that will last a long time. In the event of a flood, hurricane, or other similar events, the amount of water damage to your home can be more extensive than you may initially observe. This type of harm to your property can occur for one of many reasons, partly because there are several levels of loss due to water damage. A water damage restoration professional will be the most capable person to evaluate the extent of this type of problem in your home. Your home is a valuable asset that should always be treated with care.

Many homeowners today, unfortunately, have had some experience with water damage. According to a study conducted by Verisk Analytics, one in 50 homeowners in the United States filed a water damage insurance claim each year between 2013 and 2017. This frequency rate of 2.05% marked a sizable increase from the 1.44% frequency rate each year for the period between 2005 and 2009. Let’s examine three different categories of water damage.

This category involves damage stemming from a clean water source such as broken pipes, sinks, or toilets. Pipes, specifically, can often sustain damage and break simply because of their age. Fortunately, there are certain precautions you can take in order to avoid these types of issues. For example, you can purchase an alarm system that alerts you of any moisture in your home. If this degree of water damage is not addressed rapidly, it can become greater and create more issues.

This level is characterized by damage from “gray water” (e.g., dishwasher or washing machine water that contains detergents, soap, etc.). Water that overflows from a toilet and that contains urine can also be considered “gray water.” This type of water is contaminated with microorganisms and can thus cause illnesses if ingested. Therefore, it’s always important to ensure there is no water seepage in your home, as this could potentially have devastating consequences.

This category involves water that is completely unsanitary. In other words, if you see any black water in your home, then you are likely witnessing category 3 damage. Common examples of sources of black water include sewage systems and flooded rivers. According to iPropertyManagement.com, clean or gray water can turn into black water in just 48 hours or less.

Water contaminated by bacteria can often lead to illnesses such as Legionnaires’ disease, typhoid fever, dysentery, and schistosomiasis. According to the nonprofit organization DoSomething.org, 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, industrial waste, and stormwater are dumped into U.S. water each year. Therefore, it’s extremely important to know how to detect contaminated water and rapidly deal with it.

Water damage restoration services may initially sound expensive, but they will ultimately prove to yield many great benefits for you and any loved ones who may be sharing a home with you. An experienced and certified professional will always be able to thoroughly inspect how much water damage your home has sustained and work to ensure that it is contained as much as possible (i.e. that it doesn’t spread to your home’s foundations or damage or discolor any furniture or fragile objects you own, for example). Pumps and vacuums are typically used to remove water from many surfaces.

Speak to the experts at Monumental Contractors in Chantilly, Virginia to learn more about the different categories of water damage that can occur in a home. We are a family-owned-and-operated contracting company dedicated to serving the DC Metro Area, including Maryland and Virginia. We strive to uphold our core values of integrity, quality, respect, and accountability in every project that we undertake.

The trained and certified professionals at Monumental Contractors use the most advanced tools and technology to assist them in the process of performing water damage restoration services. Our experts have extensive experience dealing with all sources of water damage, including basement leaks, foundation leaks, home flooding, and frozen pipes.

Monumental’s water damage restoration rebuild process consists of an initial inspection to determine the extent of the issue, as well as safety precautions such as containing all electrical sources until the damage has been repaired in its entirety. We will subsequently restore any water-related damage your home may have sustained by replacing drywall, flooring, insulation, painting, and patching. We are also approved to work with insurance claims. Call Monumental Contractors today at (703) 552-9626 or contact us online to schedule a consultation or for more information about our services.