Water damage can be a huge problem and if your home is affected by it you should leave the sanitation to experts. However, if you want to facilitate the remediation process, it is advisable to learn some useful phrases related to water damage.
You can use these terms to better explain the problem to a reliable 24 hour water damage pro in San Diego, CA, when you ask for assistance. This article will help you enrich your vocabulary!
What is the vocabulary of water damage?
There are a lot of words that are connected with water damage and that can be divided into several categories:
1. Type of damage
Let’s start with the three main categories of water damage. White (or clear) water is clean and usually doesn’t pose a threat to health. However, gray water or sewage that comes from sinks, bathtubs and toilets can be heavily contaminated. The black water that comes from sewage backups and floods is very harmful.
Water damage also causes indoor air pollution and delamination. Delamination is the separation of layers of composite materials like laminate and concrete which can ruin your floors and severely jeopardize your foundation. Gleying is a word that refers to the formation of black, gray, greenish or blue-gray color in soil after a flood.
2. Biohazard
Biohazard is used to describe any type of biological contaminants and biological waste. It includes bacteria and viruses from sewage overflow. Mold and mildew which are formed in a moist environment are one of the greatest problems caused by water damage.
That’s why air testing and source sampling are vital after flooding. These enable you to check the level of contaminants such as dust, allergens and mold on surfaces and in the air.
3. Remediation
Remediation is the process of cleaning a contaminated area. You should start with water extraction, for which you can use wet/dry vacuum cleaners. Dehumidifiers are very helpful as they pull the moisture out of the air.
Then begins abatement, which is the process of minimizing the presence of hazardous materials like mold and biological contaminants. You should use sporicide to kill the bacteria and fungi. Workers normally wear powered air-purifying respirators when they remove these pollutants.
4. Prevention
Sanitation doesn’t necessarily mean that there can be no further or latent damage. Mold infestations, deterioration of wood, and structural damages can occur after some time, even though they’re not visible at first. To avoid this, technicians use a borescope, which is a device that performs non-destructive inspection of wall cavities, ceilings and crawl spaces. You can use anti-fungal solvents and chemicals to prevent mold growth.
Impervious covers stop water from going into the surrounding soil and spreading pollution and waste. Besides this, you can use sump pumps to keep water away or remove it from basement areas in case of a flood.
5. Estimation
After sanitation, you need to carry out a loss assessment and evaluation and check what your insurance policy covers. You can hire an expert to estimate the damage and the presence of mold in your property.
Access flooring, a raised area of a floor that allows access to the space below the primary floor, should be checked first. Air sampling is a great method for determining the actual scope of damage.
Where can I find a reliable 24 hour water damage pro in San Diego, CA?
Water damage remediation is a very complex procedure that calls for expert assistance which can be hard to find especially since this is always an emergency. Luckily for you, Risk Free Serv is available to help 24/7. Our seasoned specialists provide comprehensive restoration, leak detection and mold remediation.
You can treat yourself with a walk down the Mission Beach while we whip your house into its original shape. Give us a call and we’ll do the rest!