Whats the Difference Between Flood Damage and Water Damage?

Causes of Water Damage

Water damage is a broad and general category with many causes. Your home can incur water damage from a pipe burst, an overflowing toilet, or many other sources inside your house.

Causes of Flood Damage

According to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) flood damage is caused by the following:

• Overflow of inland or tidal waters
• Unusual and swift accumulation or runoff of surface water from any source
• Mudflow
• The collapse of land along the shores of a lake or body of water because of erosion caused by waves or water currents exceeding cyclical levels. This results in flooding.

A flood is labeled as a temporary situation where two or more acres of dry land or two or more portions of a property are covered in water from one of the listed water sources.

Distinguishing the Two

A more natural way to distinguish flood and water damage apart is by answering a simple question – is your home the only one having problems? If the answer is yes, then you are most likely dealing with water damage. If the answer is no, and more than one house is having the same problem, then it is probably the result of flood damage.

What You Should Know About Water and Flood Damage

At the bare minimum, you need to know how to tackle the issue at hand once you notice it. If you don’t address any water damage in your home, it can lead to extensive property damage, mold, mildew buildup, and a substantial financial hit. The longer you wait, the worse the damage becomes. This is why it is so essential to call Hydro Clean for water damage restoration. We can use our state of the art equipment to restore your belongings and help with the cleanup process.