Water Damage Restoration

Water that has been contaminated by bacteria, human waste, or another “grossly unsanitary” contaminant is classified as Category 3 by the IICRC. Category 3, or “black water,” is a blanket category for water that has been contaminated by pathogens and human waste that constitute a very real health risk. If your home or business has experienced a Category 3 water event, it is extremely important that you contact a professional right away. The health risks caused by “black water” contamination are very real, and can cause serious and permanent damage to anyone unfortunate enough to come into contact with it. It may be tempting to try to clean up on your own, using over the counter products like bleach and other agents, but VIP Restoration has both professional equipment and specially formulated cleaning agents that are necessary to ensure proper sanitization and a safe return to pre-loss condition. Without professional training, trace amounts of contamination may escape your notice and cause ongoing and future problems that can be even more difficult and expensive to remedy.

Unpleasant odors and hazardous bacteria are the main problems when dealing with a Category 3 water situation. Any surface that has encountered Category 3 water should be considered potentially hazardous, especially porous surfaces such as laminates, improperly sealed ceramic tile, wood, and even certain types of stone. These surfaces must be evaluated by a trained professional in order to ensure that all of the bacteria and contaminants have been removed. Water, contaminated or not, has a tendency to flow and spread beyond the originally affected area. It can get into areas that are not easily accessible without special equipment and an understanding of how internal structures work. When water seeps into the spaces below the floorboards, between walls, into attics, crawlspaces, and basements, it can cause widespread contamination as well as pockets of humidity that linger on for weeks, months, or even years. When contaminated water seeps between the walls, it can be wicked up into your insulation, saturating it and causing a slow evaporation that raises the humidity levels between your walls. This raised humidity becomes a playground for mold, mildew, rot, and bacteria, weakening the structure of your home and causing damage that will manifest over time as bubbling plaster, swollen drywall, soggy support structures, and burgeoning mold colonies. It is far better to act proactively and call in the professional team at VIP Restoration to handle your water problems.