San Diego Flood Restoration SDFR Inc
San Diego Flood Restoration SDFR Inc
An IICRC Board Certified Company fully licensed and insured.
(619) 265-7337

SDFR Google+ SDFR Yelp SDFR Angie's List SDFR Thumbtack SDFR Facebook

  • Home
  • Services
    • Water Damage
    • Sewage Cleanup
    • Fire & Smoke Damage
    • Mold Removal
  • Recent Projects
  • About
    • Links
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Reviews
  • Home
  • Services
    • Water Damage
    • Sewage Cleanup
    • Fire & Smoke Damage
    • Mold Removal
  • Recent Projects
  • About
    • Links
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Reviews

Water Damage Classifications

The Four Classes of Water Damage and how they Relate to Loss

Each water damage project is different, with a unique situation that must be dealt with in a specific manner. The greatest water restoration companies are well aware of this, and perform an expert analysis at the start of every project to ensure the program is tailor-made to fit the occasion. There are no cookie cutter templates for water cleanup projects, only a set of guidelines that are followed in each unique case.

One of the most critical aspects of a water cleanup project is the classification of the damage. There are four different water damage classifications, and each one requires a different approach to the recovery process. Your water restoration company should diagnose the type of water damage first, in order to develop the most effective strategy for the project moving forward.

Class 1 Water Damage

Class 1 water damage generally has a slow evaporation rate and tends to result in the least amount of loss. There is little water intrusion, only part of a room is effected, and the surface of the material is less porous, which results in the minimized damage. Little carpet damage or padding wetness is present. The materials do not absorb as much of the water, which leads to a slower evaporation rate.

Examples of affected materials: Plywood, particle board, structural wood, VCT, concrete.

Class 2 Water Damage

Class 2 water damage tends to have a faster evaporation rate than class 1, but the affected materials remain the same. This class of water damage also has affected the entire room with carpet or cushion damage, water wicking up walls 12” to 24”, and absorbed water remains in the affected areas such as the sub-floor and framing members.

Examples of affected materials: Plywood, particle board, structural wood, concrete.

Overhead water damage

Class 3 water damage means water saturation, typically coming from an overhead source.

Class 3 Water Damage

Class 3 water damage comes with the fastest evaporation rate, but walls, ceiling, floor coverings, sub-floor, and framing members have experienced severe contamination and are saturated with water. The water damage most likely came from an overhead source, from a compromised cooler line, an upstairs plumbing burst in the walls or ceiling, or a ruptured fire sprinkler line. This type of water damage often requires specialized equipment and expertise, and should be completed only by the most reputable water restoration companies with excellent customer satisfaction.

Examples of affected materials: Ceilings, walls, insulation, carpet, cushion, sub-floor.

Class 4 Water Damage

Class 4 water damage consists of unique, specialized situations in which only the most prepared water restoration company with the proper equipment should be hired. In these cases, the affected materials are saturated with water, but the porosity of the materials are extremely low or the area is relatively inaccessible. Class 4 water damage requires advanced remediation techniques and takes longer to complete than typical water restoration projects.

There are generally very deep pockets of water in class 4 water damage, requiring a very specific humidity level for proper restoration. Inaccessible areas that define class 4 water damage are include space behind cabinets, within walls or crawlspaces, and underneath flooring.

Examples of affected materials: Hardwood, plaster, brick, concrete, stone.

The difficulty of the water restoration process increases with each class level, and it is very important to diagnose correctly because this affects the way the cleanup project is conducted. Fortunately, the delineation between each class of water damage is pretty clear. Any water damage expert worth their salt will be able to identify the water damage class with relative ease, creating their strategy for restoration afterwards. Every water restoration company has their own area of expertise, so do your research when selecting the right company for your cleanup project.

Related posts
Hurricane Season in San Diego and Flood Damage Preparedness
August 23, 2013
The Dangers of Hard Water in San Diego
August 21, 2013
Flooded Basement Clean Up
August 20, 2013
Raw Sewage Clean up Project on B Avenue in Coronado
August 8, 2013
Toilet Backflow and Raw Sewage Cleanup
August 1, 2013
Project Administration: Attributes of a Great Water Damage Service Company
June 23, 2013
Recent Posts
  • San Diego Flood Restoration Trades Podcast
  • Coronado Eagle Newspaper Quotes Owner of Coronado Flood Restoration
  • Sewage Safety Advice
  • It’s Back to School for Coronado Flood Restoration
  • Hurricane Season in San Diego and Flood Damage Preparedness
Archives
  • August 2022
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • September 2011
Categories
  • Blog
  • Latest News
News Calendar
March 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Aug    
Water Damage
  • Wet carpet extraction
  • Hardwood floor drying
  • Complete structural drying
  • Drywall and baseboard
Sewage Cleanup
  • Toilet backflow
  • Main sewer line backflow cleanup
  • Flooded basement and crawlspace
  • Extraction and Sanitizing
Fire Damage
  • Fire and Smoke Cleanup
  • H.E.P.A Air filtration
  • Odor treatment and cleaning
  • Personal property restoration
Other Services
  • General Contracting and Remodeling
  • Asbestos/Lead/Mold Abatement
  • Emergency Boardups/tree fall
  • Crime Scene/Hoarding cleanup
San Diego Flood Restoration SDFR Inc
  • Home
  • Services
    • Water Damage
    • Sewage Cleanup
    • Fire & Smoke Damage
    • Mold Removal
  • Recent Projects
  • About
    • Links
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Reviews
Main Menu

San Diego Flood Restoration SDFR Inc
340 Millar Ave
El Cajon, 92020
Available 24hrs (619) 265-7337

Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}