CLEAR Restoration Tells You How to Avoid Category Three Water Pollution Effects with Tips to Prevent Exposure
What is Category Three Water Pollution
The Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) breaks down water pollution levels into three categories: category one (clean water), category two (grey water), and category three (black water). Category three water, or black water, is the most dangerous type of water pollution to have in your home. Contaminated with chemicals, bacteria, sewage, and viruses, this category of water can cause serious illness and discomfort.
How Category Three Water Gets into Your Home
So how does this black water get into your home? There are several possible ways black water may enter your house and cause damage or make you sick. One of the most common ways category three water gets into your home is through a sewage backup problem. Whether it is caused by your toilet overflowing or from a clog in your septic tank, a sewage backup can result in category three water damage in your home.
In the South, people have to worry about black water pollution from natural disasters as well. Flooding from storms and hurricanes often cause black water to flood your house. All seawater, as well as water from rivers, lakes, and even groundwater, can carry toxic substances, chemicals, metals, and more into your home during a natural disaster.
Avoid Category Three Water
Sometimes there is little you can do to prevent category three water from entering your home, especially when a hurricane is involved. Boarding up your home as best as you can during a storm can help prevent contamination. In addition, properly maintaining your sewage systems is another way to help prevent black water from over-spilling into your home from a sewage backup.
Although it is hard to prevent black water from contaminating your home in the event of a natural disaster, you can prevent it from causing you and your family harm. Follow the below tips to avoid contamination from category three water pollution:
- Do Not Enter Expose Yourself to Black Water without Full Protection
- Do Not Expose Your Bare Skin to Category Three Water
- Do Not Enter a Home that Has Been Completely Flooded by Category Three Water
- Avoid Long Exposure to Category Three Water for Respiratory Health
- Do Not Expose Wounds to Category Three Water
- Isolate Areas That Have Been Exposed to Category Three Water
- Clean Up Excess Category Three Water with Proper Protection
- Develop a Drying Plan for Your Home
Category Three Water Pollution Cleanup Should be Left to the Professionals
Category three water is called black water for a reason. Contaminated with pathogens that cause illnesses such as E. coli, Norovirus, Hepatitis A, Parvovirus, Salmonella, and more, it is extremely dangerous to handle yourself. Professional water damage restoration companies like CLEAR Restoration are equipped with special tools to safely clean up black water pollution from your home. From your floors to your ceiling, CLEAR Restoration is capable of restoring your entire home back to its original condition before the category three water damaged your property. Live comfortably and safely again in a healthy environment by calling CLEAR Restoration today at 225-245-3575.