Tips For Drying Out A Water Damaged Building

Tips For Drying Out A Water-Damaged Building

Once a building or home has been exposed to a large volume of water, either water from a flood, rainwater from a storm or a plumbing leak, steps must be taken as soon as possible to dry the building out, assess damage, and plan for repairs and restoration. Flooding can occur very quickly, but the drying out  process for a building is a time consuming effort. Allowing natural ventilation and evaporation is better for the building than the using heated forced-air or air conditioning systems.

Before starting to dry out your building affected by water damage, make certain to take into consideration all health and safety concerns. Safety must come first; do not endanger yourself, your family, or other occupants. Always assume all power and electric lines are live and turn off the power to your house. Check for the odor of leaking LP or natural gas and turn off these services if necessary. Be very aware that water in your home or business may be contaminated with raw sewage or animal waste and present a health hazard. During clean up, make sure to protect your eyes, mouth, and hands, and use disinfectants to wash your hands before eating. If you are uncomfortable going into your house or have any question regarding personal safety, have a professional make an assessment.

Take pictures before you begin to clean up the damage. Documentation of the damages will be beneficial when negotiating with insurance adjusters.
Make temporary repairs to windows, walls and roofs to prevent any additional water from entering your building or home as you work to dry it out. Plan on temporary repairs being able to last up to six months. Temporary repair options include the use of tarpaulin, 30- or 90-pound felt paper, or plywood covered with tarpaper.

Water saturation can affect a building in three ways:

1. Water causes direct damage to materials. Wallboard disintegrates; wood can swell, warp, or rot; electrical parts can short out, malfunction, and cause fires or shock.
2. Mud, silt, and unknown contaminants in the water get everything dirty and are unhealthy. Floodwater is more damaging than rainwater.
3. Dampness promotes the growth of moisture-related mold, mildew, and fungus that leads to dry rot.

The best way to promote natural and controlled drying out of the building should start at the attic if the entire building is affected. If your insulation is wet, remove it and dispose of properly. Most insulation after being wet is ineffective. Wet insulation will also continue to hold moisture for a long time and will create high moisture conditions which will damage metal, masonry, and wood and is a breading environment for mold

Remove any water soaked items for treatment. The weight of water soaked boxes can cause cracking in the plaster ceilings of the floor below. Open windows and vents to allow fresh air to circulate. If your electrical system is safe and you have an attic fan, turn it on.

Carefully inspect ceilings and walls as you enter rooms. Wet plaster and drywall are very heavy and can be a hazard. Be aware of bulging or discolored ceilings that may hold trapped water. If water has collected in the ceiling, it will find a route into the floors below. Try to collect water in buckets by poking holes at the edge of the bulging ceiling to release the water.

Plaster responds to drying out much better than sheetrock; however, durability depends on the plaster mix, the original application, the degree of water saturation, placement, and the type of lath used. Plaster over metal lath is likely to require replacement. Wood lath may expand if saturated, causing the plaster keys to break. Check for loose plaster and plan to reattach it using plaster washers. Plaster ceilings can be temporarily shored by using 2x4s nailed together to form a "T", then wedging the top of the "T" to press plywood against the ceiling.

Open windows in all rooms to create circulation, even if there is no evidence of moisture retention in that room. If you are unable to open a window, remove the inside stop bead to free window sash. The use of window fans can help to draw fresh air through the building, helping to dry out wall cavities between interior and exterior walls.

Remove wet carpets and furniture from the house. Drying out these items in the house only adds to the moisture level within the house. Remove sheet vinyl or linoleum flooring to allow for maximum evaporation.

If wood floors are coated with mud, wash down with fresh water. Floorboards may begin to warp as they dry, but further drying may bring the boards back to their original shape. The use of weights or shoring on the wood floors during the drying process may lessen the occurrence of severe warping and buckling. Remove vapor barriers and insulation from beneath the floor to allow for complete air circulation. Do not use heating, air conditioning, or other forced air to promote drying of wood floors. Rapid drying can promote cupping of the floorboards as the top surface dries out faster. Drying out floorboards may take several months.

If your basement is flooded, do not rush to pump it out. Draining the basement while the ground is still saturated can create uneven pressure on the basement walls and floor causing cracking or even collapse. Once water surrounding the house has drained off, lower the water level in the basement by two or three feet, mark the water line, and wait overnight. If the basement water level rises, then it is too early to fully pump out the basement. If the water level is stable or lower, then pump out another two or three feet and again check the water level overnight.

Water-damaged household furnishings including textiles, books, photographs, paintings, and furniture should receive proper treatment to minimize damage and ease repair and restoration. Basically, mud should be rinsed off everything with clean warm water before air drying.  However, a consultation with a conservator specialist for specific guidance on the treatment of historic objects is highly recommended.

Remember that air circulation is the key to completely drying out a structure. Heaters or air conditioners should not force the drying process. If you force your building to dry too quickly, additional damage to the building elements will occur.

Call AAA Emergency Services immediately @ 513-769-0555 if you are having a problem with water damage.