Understanding Emergency Water Damage in Toronto

Unforeseen water intruding into our homes from different sources, damaging it or some of our belongings and putting our health at risk is what emergency water damage in Toronto is all about.

It is actually one of the common health and property hazard given the water-related weather conditions coming in all year round like heavy rain, storms and snow. Heavy rain plus high tide or quickly melting snow increases the chances of flooding and thus increases the risk of water damages. These damages may cost us hundreds of dollars or in extreme cases, our health. Thus, it is important for us to better understand emergency water damage.

Causes

When excess or too much water pool in an area there is what causes water damage. Examples of which are as follows:

• Overflowing gutter. Gutters main purpose is to direct water flowing from the roof edges down to pipes then to public waterbeds. Now, when the gutter can no longer hold the volume of water to the pipes or when debris such as leaves and branches clog or block the water way and stops the regular flowing of water. Chances are the water runoff on the edges of the gutter, or creates a leak down side of our homes, wet and eventually deteriorate our walls or worse flood our basements.

• Leaking or bursting pipes. Pipes leak or burst for various reasons. Pipes may be already old and rusty, thus it is prone to leaking. Plants on our yards may have grown roots on sewer lines and eventually squeezed to burst the pipes. Probably, it’s freezing cold out there that pipes burst. The problem with pipes is that they are usually beneath our floors or grounds or walls that it is unnoticeable, so when it leaks or bursts, the chances of us detecting it is low, and little by little it will damp the surface, deteriorates it and worse, molds may thrive on that area giving us much more problem.

• Natural weather phenomenon. Heavy rains, flash floods, and storms can all elicit water build up and enter our homes and establishments. Problem with this is that we have no control over it.

Categories

The severity of damage usually depends on the following water category that cause the damage

• Category 1 or Clear Water. This is clean water that leaves it source usually through leaking or bursting pipes. This does not pose harm to human health if immediately addressed but may degrade if not, and may leave water marks or stains to affected belongings, thus it is necessary that we have the affected area assessed.

• Category 2 or Gray Water. This water contains microorganisms usually from broken toilets or sump pumps or appliances or seepage from in-house waterbeds like aquariums. When consumed, this may cause serious digestive problem. While to properties, this may cause immediate rotting of woods or rusting of steel. Thus it is essential that we have the affected part assessed and cleaned up.

• Category 3 or Black Water. This water is abhorrently contaminated as it may contain fecal, animal discharges and other harmful bacteria and fungi from sewage and seawater, which may cause severe ailments and even casualty. Therefore it is indispensable that we have the affected area assessed and thoroughly cleaned up, and have the damaged materials restored or replaced.

Now we understand this predicament, it is necessary that we get the services of skilled and licensed restoration companies to attend to our emergency water damage in Toronto since this is a health and property issue.