Water Damage

CATCO Cleans up Water Damage of All Kinds

Because all water losses are not equal, call CATCO first and fast — we're on call 24 hours a day, every day. When you're faced with water damage because of fire, sewers, burst pipes or any kind of flooding, count on CATCO to respond to your emergency with our unique training and experience.

Our goal is to protect not only your belongings but also your health. We extract moisture, dehumidify your structure and thoroughly treat affected surfaces to inhibit bacteria, mold and mildew growth. CATCO's cleaning and reconstruction work is finished with a three-year guarantee.

Not all water is the same...

Water damage is classified by the IICRC standards into one of the following three categories:

Category 1 water originates from a sanitary water source and does not pose substantial risk from dermal, ingestion, or inhalation exposure. Examples of Category 1 water sources can include, but are not limited to: broken water supply lines; tub or sink overflows with no contaminants; appliance malfunctions involving water-supply lines; melting ice or snow; falling rainwater; broken toilet tanks, and toilet bowls that do not contain contaminants or additives.

Category 1 water can deteriorate to Category 2 or 3. Category 1 water that flows into a contaminated building, causes growth of microorganisms or has odors can constitute a change in the category.

Category 2 water contains significant contamination and has the potential to cause

discomfort or sickness if contacted or consumed by humans. This water can contain potentially unsafe levels of microorganisms or nutrients for microorganisms, as well as other organic or inorganic matter (chemical or biological). It may include discharges or overflows from appliances, aquariums or water beds or some overflows from toilets without feces.

Category 2 water can deteriorate to Category 3, once microorganisms grow in numbers to constitute a change in category.

Category 3 water is grossly contaminated and can contain pathogenic, toxigenic or other harmful agents and can cause significant adverse reactions to humans if contacted or consumed. Examples include, but are not limited to: sewage; waste line backflows that originate from beyond the trap regardless of visible content or color; all forms of flooding, rising water from rivers or streams; and other contaminated water entering or affecting the indoor environment such as wind-driven rain or other weather-related events if they carry trace levels of contaminants (e.g., pesticides, or toxic organic substances).

Once the Category of water loss is determined, technicians then determine the class of loss (Classes 1-4), which is a reflection of the extent of the water intrusion and damage, noting the size of the area, the materials affected, how they absorb water and how moisture evaporates from them during the drying process.  This helps them determine the proper methods and equipment to use to get the best, healthiest results.