If you are recovering from a flood in your home, you know how frustrating and impossible the clean-up job can seem. Water seeping into your hardwood floors, clothing, carpet, toys, and furnishings is a terrible mess that is not only an inconvenience to you, but if left unresolved, it can pose a health threat to you and your loved ones. Getting your property dried immediately after water damage saves you time, prevents costly secondary damage, reduces reconstruction requirements, lowers insurance claim costs, gets your home back to normal quicker, salvages valuable materials, and much more.
According to IICRC drying standards, there are four principles to properly drying a structure. Not all of them may be required, but this is the standard for dealing with water damage drying. These principles include removal of standing water, evaporation through air movement, dehumidification, and temperature control. Here is a breakdown of what each of these properties entail.
Excess Water Removal
Working with a professional water damage drying company is always best when dealing with such a situation. These trained professionals have the equipment and methods to get the job done as quickly and safely as possible. The first step is to remove standing water through the use of a powerful portable extraction or truck-mount unit. In some cases, a submersible pump will be required. For less serious cases, mopping or soaking up excess moisture from hard surfaces or furnishings may be required.
Evaporation
Once the excess water has been removed, the remaining water that has saturated the drywall, wood framing, and subfloors of your home must be turned into a vapour by promoting evaporation. To do this, professional water damage restoration companies use specialized air-moving equipment that is able to move thousands of cubic feet of air per minute.
Dehumidification
After the moisture from structural material and other contents have been evaporated, the moisture must now be removed from the air and externally exhausted. If an interior space is not dehumidified, substantial secondary damage can occur and present a significant health hazard. Professionals use special dehumidifiers to clear the air of extra moisture by turning it into a liquid state that can be removed from the structure.
Temperature Control
Perhaps the most complex of the drying principles is temperature control. All drying equipment works best at certain temperatures. Some materials will dry faster when the surface temperature is at a certain level, thus, temperature modification and control is an essential principle for safe and effective drying. Drying equipment typically is more efficient when temperatures range between 70° F and 90° F.
Water Damage Restoration & Drying Services in Toronto
At Flood Services Canada, we engage in structural and commercial drying and dehumidification services with the best and proven tools and methods. Our equipment includes high-grade industrial dehumidifiers, high-speed air movers for large-volume drying and evaporation, inject-dry systems that promote airflow within walls and floorboards, and air scrubbers that clean away airborne particles (essential when dealing with sewage backups).
To learn more about how our water damage restoration and drying services can get your property back in top condition, call us at (416) 302-2107, or call our emergency hotline at (416) 999-3930 if you have an emergency.
