Types of Water Damage

Category 1: Clean Water
This is defined as water that originates from a sanitary water source and does not pose substantial risk from dermal, ingestion, or inhalation exposure.
Sources of Clean Water:
- Supply lines
- Water heater bursts
- Falling rain water
- Faulty ice machine
- Faulty Lines
Although the water does not pose a danger to the occupant, ESR always recommends a rapid clean up to prevent secondary damages from occurring.

Category 2: Grey Water
This is defined as water that contains significant contamination and has the potential to cause discomfort or sickness if contacted or consumed by humans. Category 2 losses can contain potentially unsafe levels of microorganisms, or nutrients for microorganisms.
Sources of Grey Water:
- Washing machines & dishwashers
- Toilet overflows
- Drain lines
- Sump pump failure
Gray water losses can pose a hazardous situation to occupants. ESR recommends only trained, certified technicians handle this type of loss.

Category 3: Black Water
is defined as water that is grossly contaminated and can contain pathogenic, toxigenic, and or other harmful agents.
Harmful Agents Including:
- Infectious Hepatitis B And C
- Acute respiratory trouble
- Enteroviral Carditis
- Gastroenteritis
- Tuberculosis
- Skin rashes
- Tetanus
Sources of Highly Contaminated Water:
- Sewage
- Toilet backflows originating behind the trap
- Rising river water
- etc
Category 3 water can pose substantial heath risks to the occupant. ESR recommends using only technicians who have been certified and trained in how to perform this type of mitigation. In a sewage loss, there can up be to 120 different viruses and bacteria in the water.
Accessing Sewage Damage
Trauma & Crime Scene Cleanup

Additional clean up services we do provide is crime scene clean up.
To prevent exposure to dangerous pathogens, anything in your home that has been touched by Category 3 water must be removed.