Water Damage Restoration Drying Process: Tips from Experts

Start With Safety

Before anyone can do anything about the water damage, the building must be safe. Standing water can be hazardous in a variety of ways, and you can’t get in to address the issues until the hazards are cleared.

First, water and electricity do not mix. If water has come into contact with electrical outlets or wiring, there’s an electrocution risk. Another potential risk is structural damage. A weakened foundation or a compromised ceiling or roof could be a real safety issue. Slip and fall hazards are also a possibility, as is illness from contaminated water. Make sure everything is safe before attempting a drying plan, and use personal protection equipment if you think there’s a risk of dirty water.

Remove Standing Water

Once you’re sure the home is safe to enter and move around in, it’s time to start the drying process. First, the source of the water must be identified and stopped (if it’s still running). You may need to shut off the main water supply to the home or the supply to a pipe that’s leaking. In the case of a flood, you’ll want to wait until the water has receded.

Some equipment your water damage restoration company might use includes submersible pumps if there’s a large volume of water, a wet-dry vac for smaller scale water removal, or good old-fashioned buckets and mops. 

Water needs to be disposed of safely. You can’t just dump it into storm drains without authorization or permission from local authorities. Your restoration company will know what to do. If you’re DIY-ing this part of the restoration process, talk to the authorities to find out the regulations.

Ventilate and Dehumidify

Once the water has been physically removed, it will be time to work on increasing air circulation, so the wet materials can dry. You can open windows and doors to allow for natural airflow. High-powered fans can also help if they’re placed around the wet area. You want to replace the moist air with dry, fresh air to aid in the drying process.

Meanwhile, running a dehumidifier will help remove even more moisture from the air. This will reduce odors and help prevent mold from forming. Your water damage restoration company will choose the correct type of dehumidifier for the job and will monitor the humidity levels in the home. The humidity level shouldn’t be allowed to fall too low or too quickly, as that can lead to additional issues, explains airthings.com.

Clean and Disinfect

Once everything is dry, your job isn’t over yet. Everything still needs to be cleaned and disinfected to remove contaminants, prevent mold growth, and restore cleanliness. You should consider anything that got wet to be contaminated, as sitting water and moisture can become bacteria-laden quickly.

Your building restoration company will first remove any debris or mud left in the area. They’ll use the appropriate personal protection equipment and will use either mild detergent or commercial disinfectants on the items and surfaces, depending on what’s needed. All surfaces, including walls, ceilings, flooring, and belongings will need to be cleaned. Some items won’t be able to be salvaged. These will need to be discarded and replaced later.

After everything is clean, it should be sanitized to remove any remaining bacteria. Steam cleaning or commercial sanitizing solutions might be used. The air ducts in the HVAC system might also need to be cleaned and sanitized. Finally, a HEPA vacuum can be used to remove dust and particles from the air to make the home safer.

Conclusion

Cleaning and drying after a water damage event can be a big job. There are many components and moving parts when it comes to drying everything that was affected. A water damage restoration specialist can help, as they’ll have the tools, machinery, and expertise to safely mitigate any damage in the home.

Source

• https://www.airthings.com/resources/home-humidity-damage