Effectively drying water damaged structure

12/20/2017 (Permalink)

While every water damage situation is different, requiring different approaches and equipment, generally SERVPRO of South Orange County Professionals will use air movers and dehumidifiers as needed to help speed up the drying process.

The number of air movers used depends on the surfaces (walls, ceiling, under cabinets, etc.) being dried and the configuration of the structure. For example, if only the floor is wet, and the damage is confined to one large room, fewer air movers would likely be required. Extra air movers would be required for additional wet surfaces such as walls and ceilings. In an Insured’s home with several smaller rooms damaged by water, more air movers would be needed to circulate the wet air to the dehumidifier and the dry air back to the wet areas.

Dehumidifier requirements are based on both the nature of the environment being dried and the capacity of the dehumidifier. The nature of the environment is determined by the amount of porous and absorbent materials present, including carpet, clothing, upholstered furniture, and unfinished wood. The more absorbent materials present, the more moisture present, increasing the need for dehumidification. Dehumidifier capacity is measured in two ways: the number of gallons of water removed in 24 hours under ideal temperature and humidity situations and the number of cubic feet per minute of air the dehumidifier conditions.

While this is a general overview of how SERVPRO of South Orange County Professionals determine when and how many air movers and dehumidifiers to use in a water damage situation, every loss situation must be evaluated and monitored to help guarantee fast, thorough drying. Water trapped inside walls, small rooms making it difficult to establish air circulation, long term exposure, the amount of absorbent materials present, the size of the dehumidifier and many other variables must be taken into account.

The real measure of whether a balanced drying system has been established is the repines of structure and contents. Your local SERVPRO of South Orange County team is trained and equipped to make sure moisture levels inside an Insured’s home or office are effectively being reduced.