Clogged gutters. Leaking or broken pipes. Harsh weather. There are a number of reasons why you may end up seeing water damage within your home or commercial property. The extent of damage you have to deal with will depend on the class of the water damage within your property. Here’s an article that explains the four classes of water damage, the manifestations of each class and the measures usually adopted by water damage repair companies to remediate the situation.
1. Class 1 water damage: Minimal intrusion
Class 1 water damage represents the least severe type of water damage. In this scenario, a small area is usually affected by water with materials like furniture, carpets or walls absorbing minimum moisture. The cause for a Class 1 damage is usually a small leak and though it’s less severe, it’s important to address it promptly to prevent further complications, such as mold growth.
2. Class 2 water damage: Significant soaking
When a much larger area is affected by water damage and the materials in your residential or commercial property are damaged to a much greater extent, it comes under class 2 water damage. This situation includes water seeping into walls, through columns and floors and the rest of your property and requires more in depth water extraction and drying. Common examples are flooding in several rooms or water damage that has reached the structural components of the building.
3. Class 3 water Damage: Extensive saturation
Class 3 water damage is characterized by water damage that saturates almost everything such as ceilings, walls, insulation, and flooring in the affected area. This happens when water leaks from the ceiling or roof or if water flows from a burst pipe on an upper floor. Dealing with Class 3 water damage requires advanced equipment and expertise to address not only the water extraction but also the drying and potential structural repairs.
4. Class 4 water damage: Specialty drying situations
Class 4 water damage pertains to situations where even water resistant materials like concrete, bricks or stone get affected by exposure to water. This is most likely caused by a flood and involves damage to the fundamental structure of your property. This type of water damage is severe and requires specialized treatment methods and significantly longer drying times.
How a water damage restoration company helps you:
Water Extraction: Professional water damage repair companies use advanced equipment, such as industrial-grade pumps and wet/dry vacuums etc, to remove standing water from your property.
Water Damage Cleanup: Beyond water extraction, an expert team will address the cleanup process, which includes disinfection, deodorization and removal of damaged materials to prevent water contamination and mold growth.
Restoration 1 of Chester County: Your go-to expert for water damage restoration & cleanup services
At Restoration 1 of Chester County, we understand how water damage affects your life and throws it into disarray. Our focus is to deploy our professional expertise in water damage restoration to get your life back to normal, as soon as possible. Our team – certified by the IICRC (the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) can be relied on for accurate assessments as well as quick and efficient remediation measures, that align with all federal, state and local regulations as well as IICRC guidelines and processes. Our team will not only spot the obvious issues but also detect areas that could turn into potential problems.
If you’re looking for 24/7 experienced and trustworthy water damage restoration services in the greater Philadelphia area, call us at 610-638-7605 for immediate help.

(Certified Restoration Professional)