Not all water is the same. Before you price a water job or decide what can be saved, you need to know what kind of water you’re dealing with. The industry sorts it into three categories, and the category changes everything about the job.
Category 1: clean water
Water from a clean source, like a broken supply line, a leaking faucet or an overflowing sink with no contaminants. These are usually the simplest jobs: extract, dry, document. Many materials can be dried and kept.
Category 2: gray water
Water with some contamination, like a washing machine or dishwasher overflow. It can make people sick, so it needs more careful handling, cleaning and protective gear, and more materials may need to come out.
Category 3: black water
Grossly contaminated water, like sewage backups or outside floodwater. Porous materials it touches, like carpet, pad and drywall, usually have to be removed. These jobs need serious protective equipment and strict procedures.
Water doesn’t stay clean
Here’s what catches beginners: clean water can turn into gray or black water if it sits. Time, heat and contact with dirty materials all make it worse. That’s one more reason speed matters on every water job.
Why the category matters for your business
- Pricing: contaminated water means more labor, more removal and more protective gear.
- Documentation: note the source and category on day one, with photos. It backs up every decision you make after.
- Safety: protect yourself and your crew. Know when a job is beyond what you’re equipped for.
Most new pros do best starting with Category 1 jobs while they learn. The IICRC’s water damage training covers categories in depth, and it’s worth getting certified.
Learn the whole job
The 6-Figure Launchpad walks you through the full water job, from the first call and inspection to documentation, estimating and getting paid, built from 5,000+ real jobs.
Keep reading: What a water mitigation job looks like day by day, Documenting a job so you get paid and Cash jobs vs. insurance jobs. New to Damage to Dollars? Start on the home page.
General information. Follow industry standards and your local regulations for contaminated water.
