Why Do Restoration Professionals Use Scientifically-Based Drying Methodologies to Respond to a Water Loss in Chicago?

5/23/2020 (Permalink)

Our highly-qualified employees and specialized equipment deliver premier, research-based results for our residential customers.

Expect Great Results When SERVPRO's Skilled Crews and State-of-the-Art Equipment Arrive at Your Water Damaged Chicago Residence

The urgency of a water emergency tends to inspire Chicago homeowners to want fast and effective action. In dedication to respecting and meeting their customer's understandable desires, professional water loss companies invest in up-to-date training for their managers and technicians and cutting edge equipment geared to a rapid response. Underlying these preparations is the continual research and standards development underwritten by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC).

What Is Psychrometry?

You might not recognize the term, but you need your Chicago water damage company to be well-versed in psychrometry. Psychrometry is the science of drying, balancing air movement, humidity, and temperature, and their effect on building materials and furnishings, household goods, and personal possessions. When your home suffers water damage, it is inadequate to pump and extract the bulk of the water, although aggressive completion of that first phase is critical to eventual structural drying. Applying the elements of psychrometry systematically and consistently is the foundation of a successful outcome.

What Is Needed for Drying to Occur?

Self-help and DIY resources might suggest opening doors and windows and placing fans in the space where water damage occurred. Then the homeowner simply waits until the structure dries out. This approach offers the bare basics of an open drying system, which attempts to exchange the moist air inside your water-damaged home with the air outside. Unfortunately, SERVPRO finds this low-tech and minimal maintenance system is often not the answer.

When Does an Open System Work?

Although it seems straightforward and seems to need little to no professional help, this strategy is not the answer for most locales. An open drying system is effective under only certain circumstances, rarely available on a consistent basis in our Midwestern region. The requirements for a workable open drying system mandate that the outside air tests at least 20 grains per pound (gpp) lower in moisture than the indoor air. In layperson's terms, this means:

The outdoor air needs to offer both the following in comparison to the air in the water-damaged indoor spaces:

    •    A higher temperature
    •    Lower relative humidity

Late fall, entire winter, and early spring months typically are not reliably warm enough to offer these conditions. Precipitation and high outdoor humidity also limit the use of a closed drying system.

The disadvantages of an open system also include:

    •    Security risks due to open doors and windows
    •    Excessive heating or cooling system expenses
    •    Weather extremes and changes that disrupt the balance
    •    Increased monitoring needed  which negates the any cost savings

How Does a Closed Drying System Compare with an Open System?

Choosing a closed drying system requires containing the wet spaces both from the outside air and unaffected areas inside your home. We achieve containment with windows and doors, if available. Otherwise, 1.6 mil polyethylene hung and sealed can create smaller drying chambers. Professional drying specialists then manipulate temperature and air movement within these partitioned spaces. Keeping the relative humidity at or below 40 percent allows us to increase the rate of evaporation from the structural components into the atmosphere inside the contained area. The control our technicians can exert increases the speed of evaporation, which can then be captured by dehumidifiers.

What Is Considered When Calculating Setup of Dehumidifiers?

In general, we look at three elements -- the nature of the wet environment, the class of water damage, and the capacity of the dehumidifier.

What Is Meant by the Nature of the Environment?

We quantify the porous or absorbent materials in the water damaged area. Highly porous contents and structural components include:

    •    Carpets and pads
    •    Clothing
    •    Upholstered furniture
    •    Unfinished wood
    •    Paper products
    •    Drywall
    •    Insulation

How Do We Determine Water Damage Class?

    •    Class 1 has the least amount of absorbed moisture, with solid and non-porous materials prevailing.
    •    Class 2 has moderate amounts of adsorbed moisture, with wet carpets, pads, rugs, and water wicked less than 24 inches up drywall.
    •    Class 3 has high amounts of absorbed moisture, water often entering from above as well as below. Wet areas predominate.
    •    Class 4 is a specialty drying category -- wood, concrete, ground, or soil.

What Delineates Dehumidifier Capacity?

We review the manufacturer's specifications. Capacity is measured by either:

    •    The number of cubic feet of air the dehumidifier conditions per minute (CFM)
    •    The number of gallons of water removed in 24 hours under the standard AHAM test conditions

Our trained Applied Structural Drying (ASD) technicians plug values into the appropriate formula to determine refrigerant dehumidifier needs.

How does SERVPRO of Hyde Park / E. Bridgeport / Bronzeville stand apart from other water damage contractors? Our highly-qualified employees and specialized equipment deliver premier, research-based results for our residential customers. Call (312) 509-5000 round the clock for expert assistance.