Building Drying and Decontamination

The first step in drying water-damaged areas is to assess the extent of the problem. This should be conducted by a trained professional, who will be able to locate the source of the damage, identify all affected areas and plan the scope of work.

Quality leak detection and measurement technology, such as acoustic measuring devices and moisture meters, is vital at this stage to determine where the leaks are and how much of the construction needs to be dried.

Some useful initial preventative steps at the start of a water damage restoration project include:

• Assessing the power systems for safety. Isolating circuits affected by water or condensation.
• Stopping the water supply to the building where needed to minimise further damage.
• Removing contents and building fabric which are clearly damaged and require renewal.
• Allowing humidity to escape. Maximising ventilation by leaving windows, doors open where possible.
• Switching on heating systems to aid the drying in cold conditions.
• Initial decontamination and sanitisation of surfaces
• Removal of undamaged contents and salvaging of restorable items from the affected area
• Full H&S (Health & safety assessment) which may include testing of affected materials and residues.

Following a flood or a burst pipe, it will be important to remove any standing water from floors and voids. This initial moisture removal will often include carpeting and rugs which hold water and prevent drying. Prompt use of wet vacuums or a pump to remove excess water a building greatly reduces the risk of water further damage to the building fabric and enables beneficial drying to begin.

Using specialist drying equipment for water extraction can save valuable time, money and reduce the development of moulds and rot. Insurance companies usually agree to fund drying services as they recognise the financial benefits. There are two main drying methods used in the UK, which are dehumidification and positive or negative-pressure drying.

Positive pressure drying is where hot, dry air is blown into the layers of structures to force water vapour into the atmosphere, where refrigerant dehumidifiers typically capture it. This is often the fastest way to extract water from enclosed spaces, but it is only suitable for unoccupied buildings.

Most building drying in the UK is undertaken using a combination of fans/blowers and dehumidifiers. These create an ideal environment for efficient, effective water damage drying. Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air and encourage it to escape from water-damaged materials and furnishings – gradually eliminating all traces of excess water in the area.

A building will initially require a survey to identify the areas affected by moisture and to what degree. Once a Drying survey is completed, a plan can be formed to provide drying equipment to best target the needs of the building and achieve rapid, uniform drying. At this stage, further stripping out of damaged building materials and fittings may be required. It is structured Designs' view that there is no value in drying damaged items, which will require renewal later in the reinstatement work.

Particularly during UK winters, cold conditions may require special desiccant dehumidifiers or the use of heaters to ensure drying is effective. However, warm and damp conditions are perfect for the development of mould and unhealthy spores, so this type of drying must be supervised by a professional.

As part of the Moisture Survey and Drying Plan, Structured Designs will periodically check moisture readings throughout the property to verify that the drying equipment installed is effective and that drying of the floors and structure is progressing as expected.

Once a building is fully dried, Structured Designs can issue a ‘Drying certificate’ which confirms that the building has been returned to moisture levels which would have been expected prior to the water damage occurring. This can be an important document and most insurance companies insist that a Drying Certificate is issued prior to the building reinstatement work commencing.

Particularly where water/flood-damage involves contaminated water, all areas and retained building materials must be sanitised to prevent mould growth and the spread of harmful germs. This may involve a number of treatment stages and laboratory testing of samples swabs to verify that decontamination has been successful. Dehumidifiers and blowers used in the drying process create dusting and air movement which increase instances of spores and germs becoming airborne and potentially increase health risks. Where this is assessed as an issue, structured designs can introduce HEPA filtration technology, which constantly filters the through multi-stage filters that capture the harmful particles.