Water Extraction, Structural Drying & Dehumidification MN
Every homeowner should be aware or familiar with the classes of water losses and categories of water in order to understand the extent of losses and degree of damaged brought about by water into the household structure. Below are summarized descriptions on classes of water losses and categories of water:
Category 1 – refers to clean water at source.
Category 2 – starts with contamination and may cause sickness and other human discomforts once ingested.
Category 3 – means highly unsanitary (since the source is from the sewage) and could cause illness or death once consumed by humans.
*Water category 1 or 2 will eventually change to water category 2 or 3 when left unprocessed for a certain period of time.
Class 1 – losses which are limited caught in the nick of time and contain few materials that are porous or absorbent.
Class 2 – losses that involve high quantities or very absorbent materials like carpet and pads.
Class 3 – involves water that comes from overhead, wall frames, ceilings, drywall, insulation and floor materials that are highly absorbent.
Class 4 – is the special drying of materials in the form of concrete, stucco, hardwood, masonry, plaster and saturated ground soil.
There are actually different techniques that are used for structural drying. One of these methods is the “in-place” drying technique which was used and taught in the early 1980’s. The “in-place” drying method during the past decades allows the drying of structural components without major taking away of furniture and fixtures. However, there were some limitations in the employment of equipment for extraction, evaporation and dehumidification. But in recent years, the “in-place” drying system has made great leaps and advances due in part to the better understanding of psychrometry; making the technique more practical and safer for everyone concerned.
Principals Of Drying
The use of ‘in-place” drying will depend on several factors that must be meticulously appraised should insufficient drying and secondary damages in the form of microbial growth are to be prevented from occurring. This includes but should not be limited to the following:
1. Qualification of the contractor or technicians who are hired to do the job. This would include experiences and academic training.
2. Availability of equipment that are technologically advanced.
3. The water damage contractor’s knowledge and implementation of the Four Principles of Drying, the Classes of Losses and Categories of Water.
4. Proper documentation of drying conditions and all activities therein, which should include illustrations of work progression.
For a successful drying project and reduction of any probable microbial growth, a homeowner must be aware of the four significant principles of drying. which a water damage contractor will determine in the following order:
- What is Wet?
- How Wet is It?
- Are We Drying?
- Is it Dry?
The four principles of this drying approach allows a water damage expert to perform its drying and dehumidification services as thoroughly and efficiently as possible, which greatly reduces the secondary damages of mold.
1. Excess Water Removal
This pertains to draining, pumping, absorbing and vacuuming methods applied to remove the presence of visible water. It is said that the excess water removal principle is the most abused principle since some contractors are not willing to invest in proper equipment and time to extract surplus moisture sufficiently. In general, water removal could be done in minutes or seconds as compared to evaporation and dehumidification of the same water quantity that actually takes hours and days to finish. Proper water removal or extraction could cut down the Category 1, Class 2 drying activities by a number of days.
2. Evaporation
The second structural drying principle is evaporation, which entails changing the physical aspect of water from liquid to vapor. The fast movement of air from any professional drying tools or equipment heightens the rate of moisture evaporation into the air. Thus, minimizing the moisture or dampness on the surfaces, which aids in microbial propagation. This likewise incorporates evaporative cooling of structures and components to further prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms.
3. Dehumidification
Upon evaporation of moisture from the structural materials, the specific humidity (SH), relative humidity (RH), and vapor pressure of air increases. Vapor pressure coerces the evaporation of moisture within cavities, structural materials and contents that results in having considerable secondary damage that increases the cost and scope of water damage. The dehumidification process speeds up drying by lowering vapor pressure and raising moisture out of materials into the air.
4. Temperature Control
The last but not the least principle of drying is the proper control of temperature within a given environment. For this influences the efficiency of evaporation, dehumidification and the ability of microorganisms to thrive.
Water Damage Restoration Is A Job For The Professionals
If your home or business is ever the victim of a flood or water damage you need a highly experienced and trained water damage contractor with extensive training and experience drying a wide range of different structural materials and contents. They will determine the scope of the damage and how extensive it is. They will also be able to walk you through the insurance claim process. Ask your insurance agent for referral. Ask for a company that is an insurance approved for water damage restoration expert. They will also will act as the general contractor and will take care of hiring all the contractors that work on the job.
A water damaged home requires a professional service from a water damage contractor who will be able to provide the needed details and information if the damage is a result of a flood or not, giving the homeowner the leeway to act appropriately as the situation requires. As a true professional, the water damage contractor must not provide less service value just to save on insurance money. And neither does a professional water damage contractor provide more service for the benefit of the insurance policy holder. Service must be done according to what is required, which must not jeopardize quality.
Until We Arrive: There Are Immediate Steps You Must Take!!!
Insured Bill of Rights
The Insured Bill of Rights states that you have the right to choose! When deciding which restoration company will suit your needs best, look for a qualified and reputable company, that will stand behind work performed and warranty responsibilities.
