Water extraction only is not enough.
A common scenario we find is where a customer has engaged a company to extract the excess water from their property after a water damage disaster and they have not followed this process up with any further structural drying or installation of drying equipment. Extracting water only is never enough, this is just the standing water the real issue is the moisture that is bound in the structural materials and the wet carpet underlay. Leaving this additional moisture in the property after the water extraction process has been completed will lead to future, ongoing bacterial issues and potential building issues in within the property itself.
The water that is removed during the water extraction process is commonly referred to as the “easy water” this water is easily removed during the water extraction process. However more importantly the remaining moisture in the structural materials also needs to be removed and this moisture requires heat, dehumidification, increased evaporation and constant airflow to remove it and to return the property back to a dry state. Without implementing the structural drying process after the water extraction process will almost certainly lead to future ongoing mould and structural issues within the property. Therefore, it is vital to follow up the water extraction process with proper structural drying.
The importance of thorough water extraction.
As mentioned earlier, we refer to the water that is removed by water extraction as the “easy water” therefore the more water we can remove during the water extraction process the better. It is far quicker and more efficient to remove water from a water damaged property by extraction than it is by the dehumidification and evaporation process. Effective and thorough water extraction will lead to a faster and more effective overall water damage restoration process of the property. However, the water extraction process must always be followed up by the structural drying process to avoid any future ongoing bacterial or structural issues to the property.
- It is faster & more efficient to remove water by extraction than it is by evaporation during the drying process.
- Thorough, professional water extraction will lead to a faster more successful water damage restoration outcome.
- Timely water extraction will reduce the overall water damage restoration costs.
The importance of removing water as fast as possible.
The longer excess water sits inside a property the further it will soak up the walls and into the structural materials. Once the moisture penetrates deep within the structural materials it can be difficult to remove, we commonly refer to this as bound moisture. The other issue will be mould and bacterial contamination, the longer the property remains wet the greater the risk for mould growth. Fast effective water extraction followed by professional structural drying will greatly reduce the amount of overall water damage to the property.
- Faster, effective water extraction to avoid mould and bacterial issues.
- The sooner the water damaged property is dried the better.
- Fast water extraction will help avoid ongoing building issues within the property.
- Many water damage restoration companies offer 24/7 emergency water extraction.
Water extraction machinery.
Machinery or equipment with powerful vacuum and suction capabilities is required when it comes to extracting and removing large amounts of water from a flooded property. Water extraction machinery can vary in size and capabilities however adequate vacuum and suction will be required to complete the job properly.
- Truck mounted water extraction – this is a large extraction unit that remains in the service vehicle and vacuum hoses are reeled in to extract the water from the affected areas.
- Portable water extraction – this is a smaller portable machine that can be wheeled into the water affected areas, not as powerful but still very effective.
- Wet vac – this is a light weight, small machine capable of water extraction on smaller water affected areas.
The structural drying process.
Structural drying is where specialised drying equipment is installed after the water extraction has been completed, to assist with speeding up the evaporation and removal of all the remaining moisture within the water affected property. Typically air movers and heaters are installed to increase the evaporation rate of the wet materials and dehumidifiers are installed to remove the wet air from the structure to further assist with the drying process.
In most cases professional, structural drying will take between 2 to 3 days to complete however in cases where the property has been significantly impacted by water damage it can take up to 14 days to complete. Being patient and getting the structural drying right is vital to avoiding any unwanted issues with the water affected property down the track.
- Air movers – add airflow to the water damaged structure and increase the evaporation rate.
- Air scrubbers – remove any contaminants from the air and assist with improving the indoor air quality in a water affected space.
- Heaters – dramatically increase the evaporation rate and speed up the drying process by heating up the wet materials.
- Dehumidifiers – Lower the humidity levels and remove the damp, wet air from the property during the drying process.
Anti-bacterial cleaning after the water extraction process.
Once the excess water has been extracted it is best to apply specialised anti-microbial treatments and clean all water affected areas, this will assist with preventing mould growth and will ensure all areas are free from bacterial contamination before commencing the structural drying process.
A little extra time and care with this anti-bacterial cleaning process can avoid future mould issues.
- Prevent mould growth
- Remove and prevent odours
- Improve the indoor air quality
- Protect the health and safety of the property occupants.
Preventing mould growth on a water damaged property is essential to providing a successful water damage restoration outcome. If mould growth does set in due to the water damage event, the overall water damage restoration costs can increase dramatically as additional mould remediation work will be required. Mould growth will also add complexities and significant time delays to the water damage restoration process.
A professional water damage restoration process should include these basic steps.
A professional water damage restoration process should contain multiple processes as listed below.
Step 1 – Fast attendance to reduce the water damage
Step 2 – Move furniture and content items to a dry safe area
Step 3 – Thermal imaging and moisture mapping
Step 4 – Assessment of the water damage situation
Step 5 – Apply anti-bacterial treatments to inhibit mould growth
Step 6 – Effective and thorough water extraction to remove as much easy water as possible
Step 7 – Installation of air filtration equipment
Step 8 – Installation of structural drying equipment
Step 9 – Monitor the drying process and adjust drying equipment as required
Step10 – Remove drying equipment once drying goals are reached
Step11 – Final clean of all water affected areas to complete the restoration process
Step12 – Complete an insurance compliant report to assist with any water damage Insurance claims.
As you can see the water extraction process plays an important role in the water damage restoration process however there are more processes required than just water extraction to complete a successful water damage restoration project. It is vital to ensure the entire structure of the water affected property is returned to a completely dry and mould free condition to avoid any future bacterial or structural issues within the property.
Why choose Flood Fixers for emergency water extraction in Adelaide.
The first class team at Flood Fixers Adelaide are on call and at the ready to assist with emergency water extraction Adelaide wide! we respond fast to any Adelaide suburb fast 24/7. This fast action from our dedicated team of water extraction experts will dramatically reduce the affects of water damage to your property in Adelaide.
Our professional water damage restoration team will do all they can to assist you with saving your property from the affects of water damage. With technicians located throughout Adelaide we can get to you fast and provide you with the emergency water extraction you need to prevent further water damage to your property.
The team at Flood Fixers Adelaide are Industry IICRC accredited in water damage restoration and mould remediation and have over 20 years of hands on experience, so you can be assured you will be well looked after with your water damage in Adelaide.
Whenever you need urgent assistance for emergency water extraction Adelaide our team will never let you down, we are here and ready to assist you as best we can 24/7. We respond fast to your emergency call for help to ease your stress and to limit and prevent any further water damage to your home or business premises In Adelaide.
Why choose Flood Fixers for structural drying in Adelaide.
As mentioned in this blog, professional structural drying is an essential part of the overall water damage restoration process. The dedicated team at Flood Fixers Adelaide are experts in structural drying and remediation processes. With more than 20 years experience for structural drying Adelaide the helpful team at Flood Fixers know exactly what is required to successfully dry and remediate the structure of your property after a flood or water damage event.
You can always engage the Flood Fixers team with peace of mind and with confidence that your property will be professionally dried, restored and remediated after any type of flood or water damage event in Adelaide.
- 20 years experience in structural drying and remediation.
- IICRC accreditation in structural drying processes.
- We use heat drying for fast, effective structural drying results.