What category of water is a dishwasher leak?

8/5/2022 (Permalink)

We all like to think that we'll never have a problem with our home appliances. 

Consider your dishwasher. Would you think twice about loading it in the morning before work and starting it up before you run out the door?

Most people wouldn't, and for the most part, they'd be fine. But for a fraction of the population, this exact scenario leads to disaster when their dishwasher fails or leaks and they come home to significant water damage.

What kind of water damage are we talking about? In most cases, a dishwasher leak like this is classified as a "category 2" water damage event.

Category 2 events are events where the water contains "significant contamination" and could cause discomfort or sickness if consumed. While they're not as contaminated as category 3 events, they're still very serious.

Dishwasher leaks qualify as category 2 events because the water from the dishwasher is contaminated with solids from the contents of the dishwasher, remnants of detergents and chemicals, and other contaminants that should not be consumed.