Structural Drying - Complete Drying of a Wet Basement or Property

Structural Drying

When assessing water damage in a home, the main question we are asking is “What is wet?”  While this may sound very simple, it’s important for us to really investigate and find all the areas of wetness, including those that may not be obvious.  For example, how far has the water seeped up the drywall?  Is the insulation wet?  Is the space beneath your cabinets wet?

Once we have determined what is wet, it is absolutely vital for us to remove as much of the standing water as possible so as to reduce the chance of future mold growth.  Physical extraction of water is twelve hundred times faster than evaporation, and is therefore much more efficient.     

Drying Carpet, Pad, Drywall, Baseboards, now possible without removal

In the past there were few options when it came to structural drying.  Many times the affected materials were simply removed from the home and replaced.  Today, due to the vast array of advanced restoration equipment, structural drying is possible without removing the affected materials (for example, carpet, pad, drywall, baseboards, etc). 

From Wet to Dry - Dehumidification

The environment seeks to equalize itself, which is very helpful in structural drying.  As we dehumidify the air in the home, the environment will automatically pull moisture from the wet structural materials in order to equalize, in effect drying out the structure. 

In order to speed up this drying process, we use industrial blowers that blow cool air across the wet surfaces, pushing the moisture away from these materials and allowing for more moisture to evaporate. (See following illustration)

Moisture control is a very important aspect of structural drying.  As we continue to evaporate the moisture into the air we must closely monitor the rate of dehumidification.  If moisture evaporates into the air too quickly and is not pulled out by the dehumidifier, other porous materials, such as couches, books, linens, etc, will absorb the excess moisture.  This is why it is vital for the structural drying process to be carefully monitored.  Our technicians use highly sensitive moisture meters that allow them to closely supervise the drying process.

Sometimes the structural material is so saturated with moisture that it is necessary to get air into the wall and ceiling cavities.  When this is the case, we use an advanced piece of equipment called the Injectidry system.  We drill very small holes in walls or ceiling and place plastic needles into these holes which inject extremely dry air into the cavities, speeding up the drying process.

How Dry is Dry?

A certain degree of moisture is natural to an indoor environment.  In structural drying, we are seeking to restore the natural balance to the affected environment, as opposed to creating absolute dryness.  Using a dry standard (an area of material that is not affected), we are able to determine when structural drying is complete.      

"Dear ProTech, We called your company on the recommendation of our Plumbing company. It turned out to be an excellent suggestion. The Water Damage technician arrived on schedule with all the needed equipment and he had our basement looking good very quickly. He was not satisfied with mere appearances, however. His testing equipment called for further drying time and the drying equipment was very effective. We are completely satisfied with the services provided. Thank you!" / MM (Northern Chicago Suburb)

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