Every cleaning firm wants to deliver the strongest portfolio of services they can. This is a competitive industry, and ensuring your team has training in the most high-demand tasks helps your brand stand out from rivals.

One key skill set is water damage restoration training: this provides a cleaning team with the knowledge and abilities to treat a property following a number of disastrous circumstances. Leaks, burst pipes, floods, snow-based damage, overflowing drains, and more can all be tackled with the right training.

This knowledge will equip cleaners with the skill to dry and repair key structures affected by excessive moisture, such as drywall, concrete, metal, and wood. Mold is a major issue posed by moisture, as are crumbling plaster, debilitated supporting structures, and rusted metal; all of these can leave properties unsafe to inhabit.

The Three Liquid Types

The IICRC (the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) has established the criteria required or water damage restoration training, across numerous standards. Three different types of liquid apply to water damage:

Category 1: Liquids in this category emanate from a source which is sanitary and clean, such as water fountains and faucets.

Category 2: This type of liquid tends to be referred to as ‘gray water’, and carries a risk of contamination. Sickness, discomfort, or ongoing illness may be caused by drinking category 2 liquids. These usually come from overflowing toilets, washing machines, and sink drains; urine may be present, but feces will not.

Category 3: By far, this is the most unsanitary and challenging type of liquid to clean. This results from backed-up sewers, flooded streams, overflowing toilets (carrying feces), and stagnant water laden with germs. Ingesting category 3 liquids may well lead to debilitating sickness and even death in extreme circumstances.

Identifying Water-Based Destruction

Beyond the types of liquid water damage restoration training deals with, there are multiple levels of destruction resulting from moisture.

Class 1: This applies to a single area in a room or space, with little to no moist carpet, and a slow rate o evaporation.

Class 2: Spaces affected by class 2 damage will be entire rooms with carpets and cushions, with moisture remaining on materials.

Class 3: These rooms have a quicker rate of evaporation, with saturated carpets, ceilings, insulation, and more.

Class 4: In these cases, such materials as bricks, stones, and hardwood have all been saturated. Special drying equipment is required to prevent further damage and absorb moisture.

Cleaning teams with the proper water damage restoration training will be able to identify different types of liquid and destruction, before proceeding with the proper techniques to achieve best results. Special dryers, blowers, scrubbers, and more are typically used to restore materials and spaces to a safer state.