Water Damage: The Science of Drying - Part I

12/24/2015 (Permalink)

A Moisture Meter helps determine water concentration levels. It is one of the tools we use to determine "What is Wet" and "How Wet Is It."

When the expert water technicians from SERVPRO® of Monroe/West Monroe enter your home after a water disaster, we have two very important questions that we must answer before drying equipment is installed.  The first question is “What is Wet?”  The question sounds simple enough but the answer is often more complicated.  Standing water is obvious but it almost always means that hidden cavities of water exist that must also be found.  These hidden areas can be found under cabinets or laminated flooring.  Water can also seep under tile floors or hardwoods.  Beyond the floors, water often rests inside walls and insulation and can move to adjoining rooms.  Determining “What is Wet” is one of the most important questions we must answer.

The second question in our damage assessment is “How Wet Is It?”  Water found under cabinets or inside walls can cause extensive damage if left untreated.  Wood will warp, wet sheetrock will lose its strength and insulation can absorb large amounts of water.  To answer the question “How Wet Is It,” we use sophisticated metering equipment that can measure moisture levels in areas that are out of site.  We may also use a special camera capable of reading temperature variations within walls or ceilings or even in the foundation to answer this critical question.

At SERVPRO® of Monroe/West Monroe, we provide emergency water disaster services.  These are some of the questions we know how to answer to get your home dry and keep your environment safe.  We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling (318) 345-5121.  We know how to properly assess water damages and answering these critical questions lets us develop and execute a plan of action in our efforts to make your loss “Like it never even happened.”