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Water Damage vs. Flood Damage: What’s the Difference?

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Water Damage vs. Flood Damage: What’s the Difference?

Since heavy rain and floods are common in Oregon, there’s no better time to discuss the differences between water and flood damage. Though they have their similarities, there are many differences between water damage and flood damage. Keep reading to find out what they are (including why you need flood restoration). 

What is Water Damage? 

Water damage is any type of damage that isn’t caused by Mother Nature. Instead, water damage is usually caused by human error. Common examples would be overflowing toilets and sinks or burst pipes. While these aren’t always the direct result of human error, so to speak, they’re not caused by external forces. 

For example, a burst pipe could be the result of worn-down parts. Likewise, an overflowing toilet could be the result of flushing paper towels instead of toilet paper. 

What is Flood Damage? 

Flood damage is a type of damage caused by Mother Nature – i.e., a flood. There are steps you can take to combat water damage. That’s not possible with a flood. In many cases, they happen quickly so Portland homeowners don’t always have a lot of time to avoid them. 

Differences Between Water Damage and Flood Damage

There are additional differences between water damage and flood damage on top of what’s already mentioned here. Here’s an overview of these differences: 

Where the Damage Occurs

A flood is likely to affect your basement. Though it may affect other areas of your house, a flood isn’t as likely to harm your second floor. This is different from water damage. Since water damage is usually the result of heavy rain and overflowing appliances, it can happen in other areas. This includes your bathroom, kitchen, and attic.

Harmful Contaminants

Water from a burst pipe isn’t usually toxic; however, floodwater is. There are different categories of water, and floodwater is usually the most toxic. This is because floodwater carries everything that’s on the ground. As such, floodwater could be carrying animal waste and chemicals. This is one of the main reasons you need to hire a professional flood restoration company. They can mitigate this damage and disinfect the area. 

What is Flood Restoration?

Flood restoration is the process of cleaning up an area of your home that has been damaged by floodwater. This is a fairly involved process and requires a professional to handle the situation. Here’s a step-by-step process of how flood restoration is done:

Turn Off Power

The first step involves getting your power turned off. This is because power can electrify the water, making it extremely hazardous. Shutting off the power minimizes this issue and makes it easier to perform the rest of the process.

Remove Water from the Area

The next step is to have the water removed from the area. This usually involves using a pump to suck the water out of the flooded area. Any remaining puddles can usually be sucked up with a shop vac.

Remove Water-Damaged Items

Then you want to get all of the water-damaged items in the area removed. This includes things like furniture, boxes, and even carpet. This makes it easier to move through the rest of the restoration process. It also helps minimize the number of potential mold spores in the area since water-damaged items can form mold if left for too long.

Clean and Sanitize the Area

For this next part, you want to use an industry-standard level of cleaner in order to kill off any mold growth and to ensure that the area is fully cleaned. Just using bleach on the area isn’t sufficient enough. It needs to be a powerful cleaner to remove as much mold as possible.

Dry the Area Out

The next step is to remove any remaining moisture in the area. This is usually done by running a dehumidifier to pull all of the remaining moisture from the area. This helps dry the area out. It also helps prevent any remaining mold spores from growing since they will have no more moisture to feed from.

Begin Repairs

Last but not least is beginning repairs. This means things like replacing wood or drywall that has been severely damaged. Since the area has now been cleaned, sanitized, and dried out, repairing the area is easier to accomplish.

Did Your Home Recently Experience Water Damage? Call the Flood Restoration Pros at PNW Restoration for Help!

Did your home recently experience a flood? If so, contact PNW Restoration for top-rated flood restoration. Our team can be reached at (971) 247-3661. 

You don’t have to deal with the aftermath of a flood alone. The pros at PNW Restoration are here to help. 



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