Water Damage Mitigation Revenue Center

Water Damage Mitigation
Water damage mitigation is the most time sensitive. Water damage can strike at any moment, from the first drip the clock begins ticking. Damage occurs to a wide variety of objects and surfaces. The longer they’re wet the worse the damage gets and can cost the home owner and insurance company thousands of unnecessary dollars. Minimizing the damage is dependent upon timely response in addressing the situation in addition to having a trained professional on the job.

When water damage happens:

In a matter of hours there can be cross contamination of wet clothing where dye transfer can occur. Tile grout can become stained.

In a matter of days mold can begin to grow within 24-48 hours of the original water exposure. The following objects and surfaces can swell, buckle or delaminate: particle board subflooring, doors, drawers, shelving, drywall, and laminate countertops. Wallpaper can peel away from walls, drywall ceilings can warp, metal surfaces can corrode, furniture finish may have to be replaced, and wood may crack.

In a matter of weeks mold can digest plaster, drywall, paneling, carpet adhesive for glue-down carpet, ceiling tile (one of mold’s favorite “foods”), and organic insulation. Mold can grow on a variety of contents and inside ductwork. Due to corrosion electronic equipment may become unsalvageable. Hardwood floors may buckle. Parquet flooring may separate, plywood can delaminate, particle board and underlayment dissolve, tackless strip for carpet installation becomes weak, soggy, and rotten and its tacks become corroded. Wicking concrete salts can attack tile, sheet goods, and adhesives.

Trained Professionals
Besides a timely response another key to any successful resolution of water mitigation is the trained professional that has the knowledge and equipment available to tackle a wide variety of losses. Duraclean franchisees adhere to the IICRC S500 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration. The standards as contained in this document are recognized by the insurance and restoration industries and are the most complete means to address water damage situations.

Water Damage Equipment
Besides any obvious water extraction the backbone of water damage restoration is the air movers that create evaporation which change the liquid water into an airborne vapor that is removed through dehumidifiers. The amount of equipment in a water damaged space is determined by careful calculations that are based on square footage of the floor, cubic footage of the air space and the linear feet (perimeter) of walls. At the beginning, during, and at the end of the job the air space, surfaces, materials, and dehumidifier performance are carefully monitored with electronic meters. Segmenting wet from dry areas may be done with containment to prevent further spread of moisture and damage.

Water Damage Mitigation Process
The water damage restoration process is very specific. What is done is determined by certain factors. Following are related steps that may be taken:

The category of water loss is determined (clean, gray, or black in relation to the water source) and any disposal considerations.

Atmospheric readings are taken of outside, inside (wet area), and inside (dry area) and documented in a “Record of Drying Conditions” form.

Moisture levels for materials in affected areas are measured. Materials in unaffected are measured to obtain a dry standard for the wet materials.

Floor plans are generated of the affected areas and the moisture readings taken in the preceding item are documented.

All furniture that remains in the wet area or have been removed to another area is blocked up with wood or foam blocks.

Containment may be initialized to segregate wet from dry areas.

Dehumidification is begun based on standard mathematical formulas that include the specific dehumidifier moisture removal capacity in addition to the extent and type of water damaged materials (called “class”) and the structural cubic footage.

As much liquid water is extracted as possible. Standing water is pumped out while surface water is removed through various types of equipment. Carpet and pad (if present) are extracted with one of several extraction systems.

With a carpeted floor carpet pad may have to be discarded based on the type of pad and category of water loss: gray or black.

Depending upon the job air movers may be placed on the top of the carpet or below it. Carpet dried from the top have air movers placed around the wall perimeter based upon wall patterns and mathematical calculations related to the type of water loss.

Special equipment and procedures may be employed to dry contents such as upholstered and wood furniture.

Atmospheric readings are taken again at the end of the first day set-up.

On the second day atmospheric readings and material moisture readings are taken to assess drying progress in addition to measuring dehumidifier performance and other drying equipment to ensure that they are removing maximum moisture.

Air movers may be repositioned to ensure uniform drying especially of wall and floor/carpet surfaces. Equipment may be changed to accelerate drying.

On the third day the same operations are repeated. Other options such as different type of dehumidifiers or open drying systems, for example, may be employed to further drop humidity levels and move the job closer to completion.

Final atmospheric and surface readings are taken and compared to dry standards established at the beginning of the job.

The carpet surface is cleaned as one of the final steps.