Water damage can result from various sources, including:
Water damage is classified into three categories:
* Originates from a sanitary source (e.g., broken pipe)
* Presents a low health risk
* Causes minimal damage to building materials
* Originates from contaminated sources (e.g., washing machine overflow)
* Contains bacteria or chemicals
* Requires professional cleaning and disinfection
* Originates from sewage or heavily contaminated sources
* Contains harmful bacteria and pathogens
* Poses a significant health hazard
* Requires extensive cleaning and disinfection
While both water damage and flood damage involve water intrusion, they differ in origin and severity.
* Water damage can occur from isolated incidents (e.g., leaking pipes) or limited exposure to water.
* Flood damage involves the inundation of a building or area with a significant amount of water, typically caused by natural disasters or extreme rainfall.
Flood damage generally results in more severe damage and requires more extensive remediation efforts than water damage.