Jason Lebeau from MrWalls Drywall & Painting
Jason has been a drywall contractor for 25 years. He is the owner of MrWalls Drywall & Painting in Chicopee Massachusetts, and still works in the field daily.
Category 3 Black Water Damage Restoration
Jason has been a drywall contractor for 25 years. He is the owner of MrWalls Drywall & Painting in Chicopee Massachusetts, and still works in the field daily.
Category 3 water damage, which is commonly called black water damage, involves water that is contaminated and likel;y to contain harmful bacteria, viruses, sewage, chemicals, fecal waste, or other hazardous substances. The water doesn't need to look black, or smell bad to be catigory 3 black water.
Common sources that are considered black water are:
Keep children, pets, and unprotected other people in the home, away from the damaged area. Don't walk through the water or touch wet materials without protective gloves.
If you can do it safely:
Don't use a regular household vacuum or place fans to circulate the air. Don't try covering water stains with paint. Fans moving air can cause the spread of mold, virus, or bacteria in the air.
This type of leak needs professional restoration. The process that they use will include steps to prevent spreading the hazardous water to areas that are not affected.
The restoration contractor will look over the damage plan where to place barriers to isolate the damaged area, electrical hazards, materials that are affected, and marking the boundary of the affected area. They will use moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras to help find wetness and water that is inside of ceilings, walls, cavities, and floors.
The work area that is contaminated will be contained with plastic barriers. The contractor will control the airflow with negative air filtering machines to insure no contaminated air leaks into the rest of the home. These precautions help prevent the spread of any virus, bacteria, mold spores, or other hazardous substances.
Any standing water needs to be extracted and removed from the home. The water that is removed must be handled according to regulations and procedures.
Materials that are porous and were exposed to category 3 water can'y be cleaned properly and must be removed. These materials include:
The CDC specifically identifies drywall, wall coverings, cloth, and rugs as materials that may need to be discarded when they cannot be disinfected. CDC floodwater cleanup guidance
Drywall is usually cut above the flood line because water is absorbed further up the drywall that the actual water level. The fiberglass insulation acts like a sponge and holds water inside the wall cavity. It's important to remove all fiberglass insulation that is wet. The contractor should base the height to cut the drywall on moisture readings of the drywall.
The remaining building materials such as concrete and wood studs are cleaned to remove soil and any organic material. Next an antimicrobial product that also disinfects, is applied to the cleaned surfaces. All products used must be the correct type for the material it is used. Manufacturers instructions will dictate the process for treating each type of material.
Never mix bleach and ammonia or other cleaners because they can release hazardous gas.
After the contaminated materials have been removed and others treated, Heavy duty commercial dehumidifiers should be brought in to speed up the drying. Air moving fans should also be used to circulate the moist air and allow the space to dry evenly. Its important to begin this process as soon as possible because mold can begin growing in as little as 24-28 hours.
While the machines are running one of the restoration techs will monitor the materials with a moisture meter. They document the progress until all materials reach acceptable moisture levels.
These water damage cleanup procedures are addressed by the ANSI/IICRC S500 standard.
This is an independant organisation that provides training and standards for the water remediation industry.
After the remediation process and drying are complete, The next phase is reconstruction. New fiberglass insulation, drywall, baseboards, trim, doors, painting, cabinetry, and flooring can be reinstalled to bring the space to pre-loss condition.
A small spill can be handled by a homeowner. For a larger area professionals should be brought in because they have experience dealing with the hidden dangers of these event like bacteria, mold, viruses, sharp items, and electrical hazards. Workers must wear the appropriate PPE such as gloves, boots, eye protection, respirators, and protective clothing.
While category 2 grey water contains contamination that can be harmful if swallowed or contacted, category 3 black water contains more harmful contamination and presents a greater risk.
The water category can also change. Water that starts off clean can become worse if left for a period of time in a warm building, or coming into contact with contaminated materials. The classification will be determined by the current state, and not just the original source of the water.
MrWalls Drywall & Painting (413)302-0640 [email protected]