Owning a home comes with a lot of responsibilities and costs to maintain a safe and clean space. When natural disasters hit, such as mass amounts of rain, hurricanes, or other catastrophes, there is a high possibility of severe damage to a home. With severe damages come severe costs, which isn’t always feasible for the homeowner. The Massachusetts home and building regulations explain the process for repairs depending on what type of water damage is done to the home.
What are the Classes of Water Damage?
Clean Water Damage
The first category of water damage comes from clean water that has no contaminants in it and it is not harmful to humans in any way. This type of water damage can come from normal precipitation, HVAC system leaks that do not contain antifreeze, and leaks from pipes that contain uncontaminated water. This category of water damage requires normal cleaning and possibly home renovations, depending on how much damage was caused. While this first category of water is not harmful, it can lead to mold and the disturbance of asbestos if left alone for extended periods of time, requiring immediate maintenance.
Gray Water Damage
The second category of water damage comes from gray water, which contains some level of contamination. This level of contamination can cause some illness or discomfort in humans, but it is not inherently deadly. Gray water damage can come from used dishwater, used water from washing machines, sump pump failures (leading to overflow), and toilet overflow that does not have urine or fecal matter in it. This category of water damage also requires cleaning and structural repairs like the first category. Since this water damage mostly comes from appliances in the home, the homeowner would have to fix those appliances as well to prevent further gray water damages.
Black Water Damage
The third category of water damage comes from black water, which is highly contaminated and has pathogens. This level of contamination is highly dangerous to humans and can lead to severe sickness and even death if ingested. Black water damage can come from sewage failures, flood waters from rivers and streams, water from HVAC systems that do contain antifreeze, and other unknown sources. This category is highly dangerous and requires mass amounts of maintenance and repairs to clean the space and ensure that this water damage does not happen again.
What Should I Do If My Home is Ruined by Water Damage?
No matter which type of water damage your home has, there are going to be some repairs that have to be made. When your home has water damage there are a few options you have.
First, you can go through your home insurance and get the damages fixed. Some damages might be minor, especially if the water damage is from the first category of water. This level of damage requires cleaning, but with the water being clean and safe there isn’t much to worry about in that regard. However, just because the water damage comes from clean water it does not mean that it can’t create problems in your home. As mentioned in the first category, even the clean water damage could create mold in the home and disturb asbestos if that is in your home. With that being said, it is in a homeowner’s best interest to fully assess all the damages created by water, regardless of if the water is clean, gray, or black. This information can be sent to your housing insurance company and the costs of the repairs can be assessed from there.
If the water damage to the home is extensive and too much for the homeowner, then that leads us to the second option: selling the home. There are a few ways that this can be done. Of course, your insurance might be able to step in and provide relief in some ways but that isn’t always the case. A homeowner’s next best option is to sell their house to buyers that buy homes no matter what the condition is. This allows the homeowners a way out of spending potentially more money than the home is worth and it gives them a fresh start. Living in a safe and comfortable space is essential and we want to make sure everyone has that opportunity.
Have a Home with Water Damage? We Buy Houses in Massachusetts in ANY Condition!
Here at Pavel Buys Houses we will buy your Massachusetts home, no matter what condition it is in. We buy homes as-is and offer cash payments and super fast closings! This means that the homeowner can save money and even earn a cash payment from selling their damaged home. We understand how much stress a water damaged home can create. Our company buys homes with no Realtor fees to the owners – our goal is to get you out of any potentially bank-breaking situations with no stress or hassle.
If you are in a situation where the water damage in your home is creating a financial burden, call us at 781-309-7085 or contact us via e-mail to get a free consultation!