How SERVPRO Equipment Dries Clearwater Home Water Damage

4/17/2023 (Permalink)

SERVPRO technicians specialize in water damage remediation for your home in Clearwater.

Clearwater Water Restoration Techs Deploy Air Movers and Dehumidifiers

Clearwater residential water damage can be challenging to detect and clean in full. Moisture can come from hard-to-reach sources like wall and ceiling plumbing and persist for hours, days, or even longer. Before long, homeowners can smell water-damaged odors that are likely paired with microbial growth if the moisture exposure has lasted more than 24-48 hours.

SERVPRO water damage restoration technicians preserve Clearwater properties with 24/7 availability and cutting-edge inspection and mitigation tools. Highly trained technicians can also implement necessary repair and replacement services per a homeowner's insurance policy.

How water damage affects walls and ceilings

Water damage can come from plumbing or appliances, which can have equally varied impacts on a residence depending on the location and materials affected.

One of the most commonly impacted materials in a water damage situation is drywall, which can:

• Wick up excess moisture
• Warp
• Crack
• Crumble
• Cause paint to bubble and peel

Moisture can also impact wallpapers and their adhesives. In tandem, water and mold can impart unpleasant odors and stains that require sanitation and drying to clean. Eventually, drywall's paper board and gypsum construction can deteriorate enough to crumble. Insulation and wall studs may also require cleanup. Ceiling drywall, meanwhile, may sag from the weight of excess moisture and eventually collapse.

SERVPRO's water restoration process for walls and other structural materials

Restoration crews certified by the IICRC can use specialized inspection tools, such as sensors calibrated for drywall moisture measurement. This moisture is evaluated on a point system, as it is for most surfaces. The primary exception is wood, the moisture content of which is measured in percentages. 

After performing inspection and formulating a restoration plan, SERVPRO can:

• Use portable or truck-mounted extractors to salvage flooring, drywall, and upholstery impacted by moisture
• Perform controlled demolition of drywall for ventilation during structural drying 
• Deploy air movement and dehumidification units that work together to pull up and eliminate excess moisture
• Sanitize contaminated surfaces with EPA-registered biocides
• Deodorize porous surfaces with solvent- or water-based solutions dispensed by ultra-low volume foggers

SERPVRO's water remediation process ensures that spaces are preserved as much as possible after moisture exposure impacts property. One of the most crucial steps is structural drying. While extraction removes most immediately accessible moisture, drying devices can mitigate the rest. In cases with small-scale water damage in larger, open spaces, this process is accelerated with the help of sealed polyethylene drying chambers.

Situations where only the flooring is saturated usually require fewer air movers than those disasters in which walls and ceilings are also affected. If a home has multiple wet walls, air movement tools are often necessary to create a circular airflow that pulls water off surfaces and toward dehumidifiers. This moist air is passed over materials that create condensation, like cold low-grain refrigerant coils or desiccant materials like silica gel, to isolate the remaining water and dry the space.

In situations where homeowners need in-place drying of such materials as upholstery or rugs, air movers may be placed every 150 to 300 feet. More severe damage from burst pipes or other disasters may necessitate air mover placement every 50 to 60 square feet instead. A careful balance of air movement and dehumidification is necessary for successful drying to a safe moisture content typical of the impacted materials.

SERVPRO of Clearwater South / Clearwater Beach answers the needs of homeowners who call (727) 614-0099. We're Faster To Any Size Disaster regardless of when it occurs.