The Factors Considered When Drying Water Damaged Property

There are a number of factors to consider when working to properly and completely dry out a property suffering from a water damage incident. This a job that requires the expertise and equipment of professional water damage restoration services. Here is a list of considerations.

Affected Area:
A drying chamber may be created to isolate the affected area. The appropriate amount of drying equipment is determined. Amount of water and saturation. Truck mounted water extraction, power vacuum water extraction, or submersible pump extraction.   If there is  wet carpet it will require special carpet cleaning equipment

Relative Humidity Levels.
Penetrating and non-penetrating moisture meters, thermo-hygrometers, and hydro sensors determine relative Humidity and Severity of Damage.
Optimal drying temperature must be maintained to ensure timely drying.

Grains Per Pound:
Calculated with a psychometric chart. The fewer grains per pound of moisture in the air the faster the structure will dry.

Dehumidification:
Refrigerant, low grain refrigerant, and desiccant dehumidifiers are used during the drying process to reduce the amount of moisture in the affected area.

Air Movement: Crucial in speeding the drying process. The amount and placement of air movers is essential during a dry out. The use of the HVAC system and ceiling fans is also helpful.

Special Equipment:
Wall or ceiling cavity drying systems and floor drying systems including drying mats.

Decontamination and Deodorization:
In case of non-fresh water sometimes referred to as “gray” or “black” water, such as washing machine or dishwasher water, toilet bowl water, or sewage.

Special Drying Situations:
A sewing factory had its roof blown off during a severe storm. It was going to take several weeks to replace the roof on the factory, and the owners were concerned about two specialized sewing machines totaling $200,000 that were exposed to rain and wind during the storm. They were too heavy to be moved, so their professional restoration service placed a special containment around the two machines with drying equipment to maintain the humidity inside the containment while the roof was being replaced. The expensive machinery and the factory offices were saved thanks to the ingenuity and willingness to take on a drying challenge. A 4000 square feet house was severely water damaged due to long-term crawl space saturation. The frame and floors were all wood that had been wet for several months. The wood was warping so badly that the kitchen cabinets were beginning to detach from the walls. TCM managed to save every board foot of the home and return all the wood to its original condition. The fire suppression system of a manufacturing plant burst and flooded the building with 250,000 gallons of water. The force was so powerful that the water cracked and floated the concrete 10′ slab floor. Water damage restoration crews worked all night Saturday and all day Sunday. The factory was ready for business Sunday night. All the walls, carpet, and contents were saved.