Water Evaluations

Catastrophic water losses, water infiltration, elevated ambient humidity, condensation, and moisture diffusion are all immediate or chronic water conditions that can cause extensive physical and/or microbial growth damage to your structure and contents. There are three (3) primary water categories when dealing with water damage to your structure and contents.  Category 1, 2, and 3 water is defined in the IICRC S500 as follow (in summary):

• Category 1 - water originates from a sanitary water source and does not pose substantial risk from dermal, ingestion, or inhalation exposure. Examples of Category 1 water sources can include, but are not limited to: broken water supply lines; tub or sink overflows with no contaminants; appliance malfunctions involving water-supply lines; melting ice or snow; falling rainwater; broken toilet tanks, and toilet bowls that do not contain contaminants or additives. water has deteriorated.
• Category 2 - water contains significant contamination and has the potential to cause discomfort or sickness if contacted or consumed by humans. Category 2 water can contain potentially unsafe levels of microorganisms or nutrients for microorganisms, as well as other organic or inorganic matter (chemical or biological). Examples of category 2 water can include, but are not limited to: discharge from dishwashers or washing machines; overflows from washing machines; overflows from toilet bowls on the room side of the trap with some urine but no feces; seepage due to hydrostatic pressure; broken aquariums and punctured water beds. 
• Category 3 water is grossly contaminated and can contain pathogenic, toxigenic or other harmful agents. Examples of Category 3 water can include, but are not limited to: sewage; toilet backflows that originate from beyond the toilet trap regardless of visible content or color; all forms of flooding from seawater; ground surface water and rising water from rivers or streams, and other contaminated water entering or affecting the indoor environment, such as wind-driven rain from hurricanes, tropical storms, or other weather-related events.

Considerations on when to Hire an
Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP)

1. Category 2 or 3 Water
2. Health Symptoms Expressed by Occupant
3. Complicated Loss (multiple water sources and areas of unrelated/pre-existing mold conditions)
4. Significant and/or chronic elevated moisture content

It should be noted that Category 1 and 2 water sources can quickly deteriorate to Category 3 conditions over a short period of time (1-7 days) depending on materials they pass through, temperature, other unknown materials, debris, and/or organic matter.