Drying Out Water Damage

7/12/2021 (Permalink)

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After a plumbing disaster, Florida homeowners need a water vac to pull water off the floor, open the doors and windows, and rent a rug shampooer from the local big box store. To restore a home takes a professional restoration service. Drying a house with water damage in Central St. Petersburg requires attention to four key factors that affect humidity.

SERVPRO restoration specialists train to analyze each one, knowing which drying methods and equipment they need to use in each home. It all comes down to HEAT. Humidity levels determine the level of water vapor in the air in a home compared to its capacity. A level of 60 percent or higher indicates the air is saturated. That greatly slows evaporation and increases drying time. Specialists use dehumidifiers to reduce the humidity level in each affected room. Working dehumidifiers can lower the level up to 20 percent every 24 hours.

Evaporation is the natural process of water converting to vapor. With large amounts of water, it is slow. Our SERVPRO specialists use pumps and smaller extraction devices to remove the bulk of the standing water. They get the amount below two inches in depth, the rate of evaporation increases. An augment rate of evaporation with dehumidifiers is to exhaust fans to increase movement, forcing saturated air outside the home.

Air movement increases by causing dry air to spread across damp surfaces like walls, tables, and countertops to increase the evaporation rate. Air movers and fans' combination to increase air movement is useful to dry clothing in a gentle manner that doesn't damage the fabric. Temperature is an essential factor. Since the preferred range to dry home and property is 70 to 90 degrees, we try to engage the HVAC system if it is operational.

If not, specialists use space heaters to raise the internal temperature. They monitor the temperature to keep it under 80 degrees on the first day; however, a higher temperature can increase the humidity.

At SERVPRO of Central St. Petersburg / Pinellas Park, we use every tool and method available to return every residence to a dry, safe condition for families to live in once again. If you have had a recent water issue in your home, call us at (727) 521-2562 to schedule a visit. We are here for you.