Category 3 Water Loss in Spring Hill, TN Case Study

Project Overview

Voda Cleaning & Restoration of East Nashville responded to a Category 3 water loss at a residential property in Spring Hill, Tennessee following a toilet backup. Contaminated water affected multiple areas of the main level, including the bathroom, nursery closet, and nursery, requiring removal of impacted porous materials and controlled remediation procedures.

Because the loss involved Category 3 water, the mitigation scope extended beyond conventional drying. Containment and negative-air filtration were established before demolition, while contaminated drywall, flooring materials, trim, insulation, and other non-salvageable materials were selectively removed. Remaining exposed structural components were HEPA vacuumed and treated with an antimicrobial agent before drying and monitoring continued.

Service Provided

Emergency Water Damage Restoration

Job Location

Spring Hill, TN

Property Type

Residential Property

Response Time

Emergency response initiated following active water loss.

Cause of Issue

Sewage-related backup affecting multiple materials

Voda Location

Voda Cleaning & Restoration of East Nashville

On-Site Inspection

Initial Assessment and Site Conditions

Category 3 Water Conditions

The initial assessment identified a Category 3 water loss originating from a toilet backup. Contaminated water had affected materials beyond the immediate source area, requiring the team to evaluate impacted building materials for controlled removal rather than relying on visible saturation alone.

Affected Areas & Materials

The documented mitigation scope extended through the bathroom, nursery closet, and nursery. Affected materials included drywall, flooring, carpet and pad, baseboards, trim, insulation, tack strip, and bathroom components that required removal based on the Category 3 conditions.

Containment Requirements

Before demolition, the work area required isolation from unaffected portions of the home. A containment chamber with controlled access was incorporated into the mitigation setup along with HEPA-filtered negative air to help control particulates during removal and remediation activities.

Mitigation & Drying Plan

The project called for controlled material removal followed by HEPA cleaning, antimicrobial application, and structural drying. Commercial dehumidification and environmental controls were incorporated into the scope, with equipment setup, monitoring, and decontamination included as part of the mitigation work.

Project Team

The Experienced Technician Behind This Spring Hill Category 3 Water Mitigation Project

Kurt performed the Category 3 mitigation work at the Spring Hill property, bringing IICRC water restoration training and more than a decade of restoration experience to the project.

What You Can Expect From Our Team

Trained & Experienced
Respectful of Your Property
Clear Communication

Kurt Gwathney

Water Restoration Technician

IICRC Certified WRT Certified 10+ Years of Experience

Kurt Gwathney performed the Category 3 water mitigation work at the Spring Hill property. As an IICRC-certified Water Restoration Technician (WRT) with more than 10 years of restoration experience, Kurt managed the containment, controlled material removal, cleaning, and drying procedures required for the contaminated water loss.

Equipment & Technology Used

Specialized Tools and Restoration Equipment Used During the Job

Negative Air Scrubber

A negative-air scrubber was operated within the contained work area during remediation. The equipment helped maintain controlled airflow while contaminated materials were disturbed and removed, reducing the potential for airborne particulates to migrate beyond the designated work zone.

HEPA Filtration

HEPA filtration was incorporated into the project’s negative-air and vacuum equipment to capture fine airborne and surface particulates generated during Category 3 demolition and cleaning. Dedicated HEPA filters were documented for both the negative-air machine and the canister or backpack vacuum.

HEPA Vacuum

HEPA vacuuming was performed directly on exposed structural components after contaminated materials were removed. The documented scope included exposed wall and floor framing in the bathroom, nursery closet, and nursery before antimicrobial treatment and continued drying.

Commercial Dehumidifiers

Three commercial dehumidifiers were deployed to support moisture reduction following demolition and cleaning. The equipment operated as part of the structural drying phase, with setup, takedown, and monitoring included in the documented mitigation scope.

Our Process

Our Category 3 Water Mitigation Process

This Spring Hill project required specialized mitigation procedures due to the contaminated water source and the materials affected throughout the bathroom, nursery closet, and nursery. The following process reflects the documented containment, demolition, cleaning, treatment, and drying activities performed during this specific Category 3 water loss.*

Inspection & Category 3 Assessment

The affected areas were evaluated to establish the extent of the Category 3 water loss and identify materials requiring removal. The mitigation scope included portions of the bathroom, nursery closet, and nursery where contaminated water had affected porous materials and surrounding assemblies.

Containment & Negative-Air Control

A containment chamber with controlled access was established before demolition activities began. HEPA-filtered negative-air equipment was incorporated into the work zone to support particulate control and help isolate remediation activities from unaffected portions of the home.

Controlled Removal of Contaminated Materials

Category 3-affected materials were selectively removed from the impacted areas, including drywall, carpet and pad, vinyl flooring, baseboards, trim, tack strip, insulation, and bathroom components. Removed materials and demolition debris were prepared for disposal and hauled from the property.

HEPA Cleaning & Antimicrobial Treatment

After demolition exposed the remaining structural assemblies, wall and floor framing was HEPA vacuumed to remove residual particulate matter. Antimicrobial treatment was then applied to designated surfaces in the bathroom, nursery closet, and nursery as part of the remediation scope.

Dehumidification & Equipment Monitoring

Commercial dehumidifiers were operated following removal and cleaning to support moisture reduction within the affected areas. Equipment setup, takedown, and monitoring were incorporated into the project as the team managed drying conditions and prepared the property for subsequent repairs.

Category 3 water mitigation procedures may vary based on the source and extent of contamination, materials affected, moisture conditions, building configuration, environmental conditions, site-specific hazards, customer requirements, and the operating procedures of the individual franchise location. Not every project requires every procedure or piece of equipment described above, and additional measures may be necessary based on conditions encountered.

Customer Feedback

What Michael from Spring Hill Said About Our Water Damage Mitigation

Michael Kimble

March 11, 2026

★★★★★

“Great company to work with. Morgan handled everything with my mitigation and also the insurance side. Communicated very well the whole time!”

Results & Outcome

Category 3 Water Mitigation Results in Spring Hill, TN

Voda Cleaning & Restoration of East Nashville completed Category 3 water mitigation across the affected areas of the Spring Hill property following the contaminated toilet backup. The project required controlled removal of impacted porous materials, including affected drywall, flooring materials, carpet and pad, trim, baseboards, insulation, tack strip, and designated bathroom components.

Containment was maintained during demolition to separate the active work area from unaffected portions of the property. A negative-air scrubber with HEPA filtration operated as part of the environmental controls, while contaminated materials were removed and prepared for disposal. Following demolition, exposed wall and floor framing was HEPA vacuumed and designated structural surfaces were treated with an antimicrobial agent.

Commercial dehumidification supported moisture reduction after removal and cleaning activities were completed. Equipment setup, monitoring, and takedown were incorporated into the mitigation scope as the affected areas progressed toward conditions suitable for subsequent repair work.

Project photographs provide a visual record of the mitigation process, including containment, controlled demolition, removal of contaminated materials, exposed structural components, and equipment used during the project. Together, the documentation shows the progression from the initial Category 3 conditions through material removal, cleaning, treatment, and drying.

Michael later highlighted the communication provided throughout the project, noting that Morgan handled both the mitigation and insurance side and kept him informed throughout the process.