Once there has been a water damage emergency, water removal typically does not eliminate all of the moisture left behind. The very nature of water leads it to pool behind walls, soak into porous material, remain under the flooring, and even collect within the HVAC system.
Hidden Risks of Excess Water
The majority of building materials are porous. While wood, drywall, and others may appear to be dry after water removal, they are in fact, able to retain significant amounts of water. If this water is simply left there, the material may experience warping, swelling, and even structural failure. More disturbingly, this may create a prime environment for mold to prosper, causing even more significant damage to your property.
How Structural Drying Differs from Dehumidification
Consider water in these three states: standing, absorbed, and evaporated. During and after a water emergency, all three of these states are present. Once the standing water has been removed, drying and dehumidifying should immediately follow.
Structural Drying: Removing absorbed moisture from the structure and materials.
Dehumidification: Removing moisture (humidity/evaporated water) from the air.
With state-of-the-art moisture detection equipment, we are able to pinpoint troubled areas. This allows us to strategically place our dehumidification and drying equipment for maximum effectiveness. Working in this manner, we are able to dry the visibly affected areas, as well as those hidden from sight.
The Water Drying Process
AWDR will continuously manipulate air temperature and relative humidity to remove any remaining moisture. With the use of industrial air movers and dehumidifiers, our technicians are able to remove remaining absorbed and difficult access water. The process and progress are skillfully monitored and adjusted until all materials and the environment reach acceptable parameters.
Here is a step-by-step look at the drying process:
1. Inspect and assess damages – Using state-of-the-art instrumentation, our certified technicians will inspect and evaluate your structure for damages, locate the source, and outline a course of action.
2. Water Removal – We will extract the water through absorbing, draining, pumping and vacuuming depending on the situation and structural needs.
3. Evaporation – With industrial air movers, remaining water quickly evaporates.
4. Dehumidification – Dehumidifiers extract moisture from the air. This speeds up the drying process considerably.
5. Monitoring – Throughout the drying process, our certified technicians will monitor and adjust the approach and equipment for optimized results.
Eliminate and Prevent Mold, Moisture and Future Damages
If left to its devices, mold can start its lifecycle within 48 hours. Besides structural damage, mold issues can reduce the overall value of your property while potentially causing serious health issues.
Once our services are in motion, we are committed to leading you through water damage to resolution efficiently and safely.
Water removal, structural drying, and dehumidifying all work in tandem to eliminate moisture and the potential for bacteria, mold and mildew to flourish. This process is how we help protect the value and integrity of your home, providing a safe environment for you to return to.