Categories of water

Did you know that there are different categories of water? They are given categories based on the level of risk that they present.

Here we’ll list the different categories of water and the risks the present to you in your property.

Category 1 

Category 1 water is of relatively low risk. This is because it is relatively clean and may have come from sanitary sources such as a water tank or pipe leak. It may also be in the form of melted snow! Whilst the water isn’t inherently dangerous for humans or pets, you still wouldn’t want it to cause any kind of damage within your home.

Category 2 

Category 2 is water that has been used in some way. This could mean by the washing machine or the dishwasher for example. Whilst this water does not contain sewage, it still has contaminants and if left untreated, can progress in to category 3 water.

Category 3

Category 3 is water that has been contaminated by sewage and or, bacteria. It often comes from a sewer, but it doesn’t have to. Severe flood waters can also be category 3. This water contains bacteria, harmful chemicals and much more. It is dangerous and unfortunately for that reason, items that come in to contact with this type of water are likely to be unsalvageable, unless they can be decontaminated.

Regardless of the categories of water, it’s important to act quickly. This means contacting a specialist water restoration expert.

ServiceMaster Restore are experts in water restoration. We can attend in less than 4 hours in emergency cases which means we can assess the type of water and damage and get restoration services going as soon as possible to avoid further damage and disruption.

You can read more about our water restoration services here or contact us on 0845 762 6828 in an emergency

Water damage timeline

It’s really important to understand the water damage timeline as speed of restoration is an important factor in water damage incidents.

When water damage is left untreated, serious problems can arise. Here’s a water damage timeline highlighting what happens, when, with a water damage incident:

  1. Within minutes or hours – Contamination from hazardous water can spread. Furniture situated on wet carpets will begin to stain the carpet. Over time wooden furniture will become swollen with water
  2. Within days – Mould and mildew may begin to appear. Paint and wallpaper may be destroyed. Wooden floors may begin to warp and wooden structural supports may begin to swell
  3. In around a week – Mould and mildew will begin to spread reaching more your furniture, walls and even in the structure of your property
  4. A number of weeks – Mould will take hold of organic materials like wood, leaving them unsalvageable. Mould could begin to make you ill by entering your lungs and your blood stream it can affect your immune system, kidneys, liver and brain causing headaches
  5. After a prolonged period – Untreated water damage can affect the foundations of the property, making it unstable and unsafe! The property can begin to shift under its own weight, walls begin to flex and the whole structure can begin to sink

Sound scary?

Fortunately with quick and effective intervention, much of the above can be avoided.

It’s likely your insurance will have partnerships with restoration companies who will be able to get out, assess the damage and respond with appropriate services quickly. However, for some individuals who don’t have insurance, particularly in high flood risk areas, you’ll need an expert restoration company on hand.

ServiceMaster Restore are experts in restoring flood damage. With years of experience, a whole network of professionals with the best equipment and products for the job, ServiceMaster Restore are a great choice when choosing a restoration business. You can find out more about our water damage restoration here.

For emergency help contact us on 0845 762 6828

Prepare your home for holiday

If you’re lucky enough to be able to get away this year, you’ll need to prepare your home for holiday. Read on for our handy tips on getting your home ready for holiday time.

  • Make it look like you’re actually still home
    • Lighting on timers
    • Ask neighbours to park at your home
    • Ensure you’re not expecting any deliveries that won’t get collected
    • Don’t post on social media whilst you’re away
    • Ask your neighbour to take out your bins on bin day
    • Consider a house sitter, especially for long periods of time
  • Protect your home against crime
    • Bring any spare keys hidden around the home, inside
    • Lock all windows, doors and gates
    • Motion sensor lighting
    • Alarms and security cameras
  • Program your central heating
  • Unplug electrical items (TV, etc)
  • Check your home for any maintenance before leaving
  • Prep for your return!
    • Throw away food that will go off whilst you’re away
    • Empty bins
    • Leave doors open to allow air circulation
    • Clean your way out of the door so you can arrive to a clean home when you’re back!

Now that you know how to prepare your home for holiday, you can enjoy it and return to a safe, clean and uninterrupted home.

For further information on our services visit our website www.servicemasterrestore.co.uk or call 0845 762 6828 for emergency help in fire, floor and trauma damage.

Open water safety

When we experience warmer weather here in the UK, it is a good time to bring up the topic of open water safety.

This is because it isn’t uncommon for many individuals to choose to cool down in open waters.

Open waters do have their dangers though and it’s important to consider the following when making a judgement;

Risks

  • Drowning –  223 drowned in the UK in 2019
  • Injury – A high number of individuals became injured from entering open waters

There are ways that you can keep yourself and your family safe when enjoying being outdoors during the warmer weather, including;

  • Swimming isn’t recommended in places other than purpose made swimming pools – do not purposely enter open water
  • Don’t mix swimming with alcohol – the two don’t mix and can be very dangerous
  • Don’t allow children to swim unsupervised
  • Don’t tamper with life saving equipment

If you fall in, 

Lie on your back and float by pushing your stomach up and extending your limbs to help you in doing so. It’s important to manage your breathing and not panic.

If someone else falls in, 

Call 999 without delay, if you do not have access to a phone, shout for help and do not enter the water. If you can communicate with the person in the water, try and get them to float on their back, maintaining clear airways until help arrives.

Open water safety is important! Remember that water may look tranquil or shallow, but it there could be a dangerous undercurrent. It’s also misconceiving that water is warm, it can be at the surface but just a few feet deeper it can be icy cold.

The best course of action is to avoid it and find other, safer ways to cool down.

We hope that our tips on open water safety help to keep you and others, SAFE.

For all of your Restoration requirements in flood, fire and trauma visit www.servicemasterrestore.co.uk or call 0845 762 6828

Electrical cable safety in the workplace

Electrical cable safety in the workplace is exceptionally important. This is because electricity is a common feature in the work place. It’s used to power most things including computers, printers, copiers and other equipment depending where it is in the business.

Here are some tips to reduce the dangers of electrical cables in the workplace;

Tripping hazards can be blamed for many accidents within the workplace, to reduce the likelihood,

  • Rearrange furniture to take cables away from the path of footfall within the office
  • Tape down or clearly mark any cables that can’t be hidden

Electric shock hazards are less common, but extremely dangerous, follow this guidance to avoid them;

  • Maintain electrical equipment and replace when necessary
  • Keep cords away from sources of water and heat
  • Only use electrical equipment that has been PAT tested for use in a business

Fire hazards are equally as common and as dangerous as electric shock hazards, it’s important to take note of the following;

  • Do not overload sockets
  • Reduce the number of cables located together
  • Don’t run cables beneath rugs or carpets
  • Create a fire safety checklist covering all of the above

Keep your employees and other visitors safe by following the above guidance for electrical cable safety in the workplace.

If in any instance you have been effected by fire damage, you can reach out to the experts in fire restoration.

Contact us on 0845 762 6828 or visit our fire restoration page for further information