Category 1: clean water
Water from a sanitary source, such as a broken supply line, a leaking faucet or an overflowing sink with no contaminants. If it is caught quickly, most materials can be dried in place.
Category 2: gray water
Water with significant contamination that could cause discomfort or illness, such as discharge from a washing machine or dishwasher, or an overflowing toilet without feces. More porous materials are usually removed, and surfaces are cleaned and treated.
Category 3: black water
Grossly contaminated water: sewage, toilet backflow from beyond the trap, and flood water from rivers or the ground. Porous materials that it touched, such as carpet, pad, insulation and drywall, are removed. People and pets should stay out until the area is cleaned.
Water gets worse with time
A category is not fixed. Clean water that sits for days, picks up contaminants from flooring and building materials, and warms up can degrade from Category 1 to Category 2 or 3. This is one more reason the first 24 to 48 hours matter.
Classes 1 to 4: how much there is to dry
- Class 1: a small area, with little water absorbed into materials
- Class 2: a whole room, with carpet and the lower part of the walls wet
- Class 3: the most water, often from above, with walls, ceilings, insulation and floors saturated
- Class 4: “specialty drying” of dense materials such as hardwood, concrete, stone or plaster that hold water and release it slowly
The class decides how much drying equipment is needed and how long the job takes.
What this means for you
Two leaks that look the same can need very different work. Knowing the category and class up front lets us tell you honestly what can be saved, what has to be removed and how long the drying should take, before work begins.