Water Classes Based on Evaporation Rate

2/28/2022 (Permalink)

4 Classes of Water Damage

Classes of Water Damage losses are determined by the rate of evaporation based on the type of materials affected by water damage to your property. Determining the Class of Water is an important first step, and will determine the amount and type of equipment utilized to restore your business. There are four IICRC water damage classifications, they are as follows:

Class 1 - Slow Evaporation Rate 

Water losses that affect only part of a room or area, or losses with lower permeance/porosity materials (e.g., plywood, particleboard, structural wood, vinyl composition tile or VCT, concrete). Little or no wet carpet or cushion is present. Minimum moisture is absorbed by materials, releasing moisture slowly.

Class 2 - Fast Evaporation Rate 

Water losses that affect an entire room or carpet and cushion. Water has wicked up walls 12" - 24". There is moisture remaining in structural materials (e.g., plywood, particleboard, structural wood, concrete).

Class 3 - Fastest Evaporation Rate

Water may have come from overhead. Ceilings, walls, insulation, carpet, cushion, and sub-floor in the entire area are saturated.

Class 4 - Specialty Drying Situations

These consist of wet materials with very low permeance/porosity (hardwood, plaster, brick, concrete, stone, and crawlspace). Typically, there are deep pockets of saturation, which requires very low specific humidity.

At SERVPRO of Jonesboro, We’re Faster To Any Size Disaster whether it strikes your home or business property. Call us at 870-934-0501 when you need to be served by a proven industry leader.