Structural Drying Opportunity

The structural drying process consists of several fundamental steps that have been proven to work when drying and restoring water-damaged structures.These are:1. Assessment of the moisture intrusion and damage—using moisture meters, thermal imaging cameras, and other specialized tools to determine how much water is in the structure, where it is, and what materials have been damaged.2. Water removal—using industrial-grade pumps and extraction equipment to get out the remaining standing water and the water that has infiltrated building materials.3. Evaporation and enhanced airflow—using high-capacity dehumidifiers and HEPA-filtered high-power air movers to create a draft that will allow for the evaporation of water from damp building materials while also preventing any large particles (like mold spores) from becoming airborne. All this is done under the watchful eye of trained professionals, who monitor the progress and adjust methods as necessary to suit the particular challenges of the drying project at hand.

These are the four stages in structural drying: 1. __Removing liquid water from construction materials and contents__ 2. __Creating conditions for accelerated evaporation/__ 3. __High-performance dehumidification__; and 4. __Effecting the change from a wet to dry state throughout the entire structure and its contents.__1. Initial Assessment and InspectionThis stage entails evaluating how extensively water has damaged the various areas of the structure. It involves identifying the source of the moisture and categorizing the kinds of water that are involved to determine which drying method is most effective.2. ExtractionDuring this phase, the utmost attention is directed toward extracting the maximum amount of water from the impacted zones. This usually necessitates employing high-tech apparatus like pumps, vacuums, and engines to do the hard work of pulling out water that's stubbornly settled in certain spots and bringing down the overall moisture amount.3. EvaporationAfter the bulk of the water has been removed, the next step is to promote the evaporation of the remaining moisture. This is done using air movers and fans to increase the circulation of air, which enhances the evaporation from surfaces and building materials. Evaporation is controlled by how much moisture is in the air, the temperature of the air, and how fast the air is moving. Therefore, for optimal results, a specific number of air movers and fans are placed in a strategic layout throughout the affected area.4. DehumidificationThe concluding stage centers on extracting the vapor that has transitioned into the air. Dehumidifiers are pressed into service to drop the humidity levels, sidelining such potential threats as mold and mildew, and ensuring that the structure and its contents reach the right moisture content for stability and safety.

When a building is inundated with water from a natural disaster like a flood or from man-made causes such as ruptured pipes, applying structural drying is one key way to ensure that the building is safe to occupy when the waters recede and that it's not in danger of collapsing due to rusting metals or rotting wood. Structural drying is a comprehensive process undertaken by certified professionals using specialized tools to ensure that air and moisture are moving in a way that will restore the "dry" conditions necessary for occupancy and the "structural integrity" of the building.

Structural dehumidification is the process of taking out too much moisture from a building's structural parts, such as walls, floors, and ceilings; doing this allows the building to avoid damage and fosters a healthy indoor environment. This process usually involves the use of specialized equipment that one typically wouldn't find in a home. Equipment like industrial dehumidifiers, air movers, and heaters are used to supercharge the evaporation process and keep the humidity at safe levels. Structural dehumidification is used too after flood events; it allows people to get back into the building that was flooded with a much healthier indoor environment because of the lack of mold and other nasty things that too much moisture can grow.

The three primary forms of drying are air drying, heat drying, and dehumidification.

In construction, the term drying in refers to the stage when a building is sufficiently weatherproofed. This means that the roofs, walls, windows, and doors are in place to prevent water from entering the structure. At this point, it is possible to work on the inside of the building without the work being affected by the external weather. The construction schedule can now proceed, and any areas inside the structure that were previously "under construction" can now be worked on without concern for rain or snow.

The drying method most often used in structural drying is a combination of air movers and dehumidifiers. These two tools work together to push air, effectively mix the air, and remove the moisture from affected materials and from the space around them. When air movers and dehumidifiers are used in concert, they greatly increase the evaporation rate from the submerged materials and improve the drying efficiency in the whole affected structure.

The three basic drying devices used in structural drying are air movers, dehumidifiers, and heaters.Air moversOften referred to as fans or blowers, air movers are devices that greatly enhance and speed up the evaporation process by circulating air and raising surface temperatures.DehumidifiersThe moisture in the air is removed by dehumidifiers. As a result, the levels of humidity are reduced, and this helps in drying out the air. Dehumidifiers help in drying out closed areas. They help in drying out spaces that don't have air circulation. Mold and mildew can't grow in closed spaces that have air circulation. Mold and mildew can grow in closed spaces without air circulation, and space becomes humid.HeatersThe temperature goes up when heaters are used, and that boosts the evaporation rate by increasing the air's holding capacity for moisture.

In the field, structural drying generally encompasses a number of fundamental processes to effectively extract water and bring structures back to their pre-damage state. Among those processes are:1. ExtractionThe first step is to eliminate any remaining water. This is done with high-capacity pumps and vacuum systems. These machines are at work in the picture above. Most are employed on the ground level of the stairwell. Water in the basement is being dealt with right now as the stairwell operations move upward. Right now, the stairwell operation is an assembly line. The main entrance to the stairwell on this level is on the left side of the photo above. There is also a way into the stairwell in the rear of the photo above. We are working our way up the stairwell assembly line.2. Air MovementHigh-speed air movers or fans are put into service to increase air circulation in the affected area. Air movement is a key component in the drying process. The more wet surfaces and the more humid air you have, the more you need to move that air around in order to make it drier. Once you have that wet air, you've got to get it away from the affected areas.3. DehumidificationA dehumidifier removes water from the air and lowers the humidity level. This is essential for you if you want to stop mold from growing. You use a dehumidifier after you have mopped, wiped, or otherwise cleaned up a wet space.4. Temperature ControlThe affected area can have its temperatures increased through the use of heating appliances. Temperatures that are higher allow for more moisture to be in the air. Warmer air combines more easily with water, enhancing the evaporation process.5. MonitoringMoisture meters and hygrometers are used in a continuous manner to monitor the drying process and guarantee that even the most remote sections of the wood achieve moisture levels that are deemed acceptable.6. Specialty Drying EquipmentIn certain instances, specific gear may be requisitioned to carry out a remedial objective. For example, a dehumidifying system utilizing desiccants might work in conjunction with the more standard types of dehumidifying equipment to remove basement humidity from the air. The next two pieces of equipment might be more familiar to you as workmen tools. However, both are quite specialized in their function. Infrared heat panels work to dry wet building materials, like wood, by first heating the surface of the material. An injection drying system does the same thing, but by using a series of smaller holes, it sends heated air into wet building materials that have space inside them—from an area almost like a cavity in the wall to an area like a room in the basement.These processes have been made to coordinate with one another and work in tandem for the efficient drying of structures. This reduces the chance of structural damage and lessens the likelihood that mold will grow.

High-capacity dehumidifiers are the most effective tools for structural drying. They efficiently take moisture out of the air, which, in turn, speeds up the drying process. Under certain conditions, desiccants (like silica gel or calcium chloride) can be very effective. That is especially true when the environment is overly humid or when the work area is at a lower temperature. Besides these drying agents, a fan is a useful drying tool. Air movers push air through a structure to increase circulation and to control humidity in the space.