Is there a difference between water damage and flood damage?

Short Answer: Yes!

Long Answer: An important lesson when it comes to different industries is how important the subtleties of language are. When one person says flood and the other person says water, they may feel like they are talking about the same idea or concept but may not be “speaking the same language”, often leading to confusion and misunderstandings. While it might seem like these are two interchangeable terms, Water Damage and Flood Damage refer to two separate but related types of loss with different implications for each term.

Water Damage is a more generic term which is somewhat of a catch-all for Category 1 and 2 water losses: anything from a burst pipe to an overflow of your tub. Both these examples involve water and damage, yet, are different, but have some commonalities. For a loss to be considered “Water Damage”, the water must come from the inside of the home, meaning from a pipe or a leak or overflow of a sink or tub, or any other way that this can happen.

Flood Damage, on the other hand, is a specific type of water damage problem. In order to be considered Flood Damage, the water must come from the outside of your home into your home. Any water that comes inside to outside is immediately considered Category 3, which is reserved for water that may be contaminated, whether it be sewer water, rainwater, flood water. The main concern in Flood Damage cases is the potential for bacteria, harmful microbes and other disease-carrying pathogens which can be found in this water remaining in your home. A general rule of thumb with Category 3 losses is that they should only be handled by trained professionals with the correct equipment.

With that having been said, it all may sound scary, but, understanding the differences between these two terms can actually help get you the proper help you need faster. And, when you need that help, IRS can be there in less than an hour, 24 hours a day, to help you get back to your normal life faster than any other restoration company in the Las Vegas Valley.