Lafayette Flood Restoration Professionals Talk About the Science Behind The Applied Structural Drying Process

9/30/2019 (Permalink)

Do you know how to calculate the number of air movers and dehumidifiers required to dry your home? SERVPRO does!

Flood Damage Gurus from Lafayette Spell Out How To Calculate Dehumidifiers

Any time a storm comes through town, it is possible that someone's property suffers from flood damage. Thunderstorms that make their way into the Lafayette region can create excessive rainfall and hard-hitting winds. If the rain builds up outdoors, it can find its way into your home through your door seals and from the ground underneath your building. Alternatively, if the wind blows a tree branch into your house, water can enter. 

Whenever we work on mitigating flood damage at your Lafayette residence, our SERVPRO technicians determine the best methods to remove moisture from your structure as quickly as possible. To start, our crew uses heavy-duty extraction equipment to pull up as much water as we can while it is still in its liquid form. Next, we begin the applied structural drying or ASD process. 

The main goal when conducting ASD is to create an environment inside your house that is conducive to rapid structural drying. We often accomplish this task by setting up a combination of air movers and dehumidifiers. The air movers create circulation that pushes wet air away from wet surfaces so that more water can evaporate. The dehumidifiers then pull the moisture out of the air while at the same time giving warm, dry air back to the air movers to use in the air circulation system. 

However, the correct ratio of air movers to dehumidifiers is vital to the success of the ASD process.  Too many air movers create moist air and drying can slow down. Conversely, too many dehumidifiers per air movers pull out too much moisture and crack wooden items. 

We assess the nature of the environment and capacity of the dehumidifiers to determine the number used for each project. The amount of porous, absorbent items in the affected room determines environmental nature. If there are thick carpets and many pieces of upholstered furniture in the affected area, then more dehumidifiers could be needed.

Dehumidifier capacity, measured in two ways, is listed in each manual. First, the machines measure how many cubic feet of air the dehumidifier conditions every minute. Secondly, the capacity of the units measures the number of pints of water removed in 24 hours under standard conditions of 80°F and 60% relative humidity.

The bottom line is that the professionals best handle problems created by storms. Any time you need restoration services, call SERVPRO of Lafayette at (765) 420-0077.

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