If your roof recently leaked water into your living room, you may have a substantial amount of physical damage in your attic and ceiling. The plaster and wood supporting your attic and ceiling may also be soaked with different types of water. Learn more about the water in your attic and ceiling, including how to safely remove it, below.

What Category and Class of Water Damage Do You Have?

Before you do anything to repair your attic and ceiling, you must first learn about the different types of water damage you could have in your home. Water is generally categorized by the contents it contains. Currently, there are three important categories of water damage you should become familiar with today.

The water in category one usually comes from things that won't cause harmful side effects or health issues, such as your kitchen sink faucets or whole-house water filter. The water in categories two and three can be harmful or dangerous for your family's health. This water contains chemicals and organic substances that can infiltrate your skin, mucous membranes, and mouth. You want to practice great caution when cleaning up category two or three water.

Water damage may also be placed into four classes. Class four water is the most difficult class to clean up. Class four water tends to evaporate or absorb into materials at an extremely fast rate. As with category three water damage, class four water damage can be difficult to clean up without a repair and restoration company's assistance.

What Steps Do You Take to Restore Your Home?

The water from your roof may or may not contain pathogens or chemicals. Since you don't know the contents of the water, you want to have a contractor clean it up for you. A repair and restoration company will:

• determine the category of water in your attic and ceiling
• designate the class of water in your attic and ceiling
• design a clean-up plan to address the water in your attic and ceiling

In addition, a restoration company can discard and replace any materials in your attic and ceiling that is unfit or badly destroyed by water. If water soaked into your floor, furniture, and other items, a company can clean or remove these things as well. Keep in mind that some items can be restored to their original state, especially if they sustained class four or category three water damage. 

If you're overwhelmed by water damage in your home and need help cleaning it up, contact a water restoration company for an appointment today.