What is the Class of Your Water Damage?

6/18/2020 (Permalink)

Not only does SERVPRO of East Honolulu use categories to define the water quality, we also you a class for classification of water absorption and evaporation load. 

Before understanding the class themselves there are a few definitions to knock out. 

Definitions:  

Porous Materials- carpet, gypsum board, fiber-fill insulation, concrete masonry unit, textiles 

Low Evaporation Materials- Plaster, Wood, Concrete, Masonry 

Low Evaporation Assemblies- Multi-layer wallboard, multi-layer sub-floors, gym floors, or

other complex built-up assemblies 

The Water Classes: 

Class 1: The least amount of water absorption and evaporation load 

- water intrusion (where it's wet) area contains less than 5% of porous materials. And low evaporation materials/assemblies have absorbed minimal moisture. 

- meaning, Only part if a room or area is wet or larger areas containing materials that have absorbed minimal moisture.  Little or no wet carpet and/or pad is present.

Class 2: Significant amount of water absorption and evaporation load  

- water intrusion area contains 5%-40% of porous material (this is encompassing the floor, wall, and ceiling surface).  And low evaporation materials/assemblies have absorbed minimal moisture.   

- meaning, An entire room or more is affected.  Carpet and pad may be wet.  Water has wicked up walls less than 24 inches.  There is significant moisture remaining in structural materials.

Class 3: Greatest  amount of water absorption and evaporation load   

- Water intrusion area is made of more than 40% of porous materials. And low evaporation materials/assemblies have absorbed minimal moisture.   

- meaning, Fully involved.  Water may have come from overhead.  Ceilings, walls, insulation, carpet, pad, and sub floor in virtually the entire area are saturated.

Class 4: Deeply held or bound water 

- Water intrusion area is most of low evaporation materials/assemblies. This means that there will be a need for heavy duty drying equipment that will vary for each humidity level 

- meaning, Specialty drying situations - Wet materials with very low permanence/porosity i.e hardwood, concrete, brick.  Typically, there are deep pockets of saturation, which require very low specific humidity.