Structural Drying Eagle

Restoring the structural integrity of a building after water damage is a multi-step process. First, any standing water must be removed. Then, high-velocity air movers and low-grain refrigerant dehumidifiers are used to create balance of the evaporative stress on the wet materials and drive them to a dry state. The use of moisture meters and data loggers are essential in this stage to ensure that the drying reaches its intended conclusion. If it doesn't, mold is guaranteed to make an appearance before long, and the structures will suffer more undetected damage. If the equipment used can't reach a portion of the structure, the portion can't be counted as structurally sound.

Applied structural drying is a comprehensive and efficient method of moisture extraction repaired to structures after they have suffered inundation. It is primarily done using equipment like large air movers and dehumidifiers to expedite the evaporation of moisture from fabrics of the building, such as drywall.The goal of applied structural drying is to achieve a pre-loss condition of the structure and its contents in the least time possible, with a secondary goal being that any materials that are applied should have direct mechanical control with a minimum sight line as possible.

The four stages of drying are:1. Water Removal: This stage involves using pumps, vacuums, and other equipment to quickly reduce the moisture level to as low as possible. Of course, this is just the starting point. We still have a long way to go to complete the initial water removal.2. Evaporation: At this point, the last bit of moisture is made to change from a liquid into a vapor state. Air movers and fans are used at this stage to increase the circulation of air, which helps to speed up the evaporation process.3. Dehumidification: In this phase, dehumidifiers are put to use to draw moisture from the air after it has evaporated, to effectively reduce the humidity levels in the space to a point where mold can't grow and where any further water damage is as unlikely as possible.4. Temperature Control: The last stage includes the use of heating systems or air conditioning to control the temperature because maintaining an optimal temperature range can enhance both evaporation and dehumidification and can lead to faster and more efficient drying.

The three primary drying methods for structural components are air drying, heat drying, and dehumidification.Air DryingIncreasing the circulation of air with fans and ventilation promotes evaporation. This is known as air drying.Heat DryingDrying by heat uses heat sources to elevate temperature, escalate evaporation, and diminish moisture content.DehumidificationHumidity is removed from the air by dehumidifiers. The air then becomes drier, and moisture on surfaces starts to evaporate. Evaporation is made quicker and easier because: 1. Dry air encourages moisture to evaporate. 2. Lowering the dew point of the air in the space makes it much less likely for water vapor to condense on any surface.For efficient structural drying, these methods are usually employed in combination.

In Eagle, structural drying in usually achieved through a combination of water extraction, air movement, dehumidification, and temperature control. First, the equipment removes as much water as possible. Then, high-velocity air movers are placed throughout the structure to boost evaporation. Dehumidifiers remove the moisture in the air, and monitoring equipment ensures that all that water is going in the right direction—it's leaving the structure and heading back to where it belongs in the environment. If you don't have moisture monitors, you can't effectively dehumidify, and if you don't have effective dehumidification, you can't have structural drying.

The main drying phase in structural drying is the "water extraction" or "water removal" stage. This is the part where specialists put most of their energy in attempting to remove the bulk of the excess water from the affected structure. Pumps and vacuum equipment are used to pull the standing water out from places like floors, carpets, and other surfaces. When the water is removed, the underground hydrostatic pressure isn't there anymore, and the water that's trapped in the building materials can start coming out. This is the push phase where the direction of water movement is from the interior of the building materials to the exterior.

In Eagle, we assess an affected area for damage and moisture before we begin the structural drying process. Once we have an understanding of the damage, we set up our specialized equipment to remove moisture from the building materials. Our equipment consists of dehumidifiers, air movers, and heaters—all of which are strategically placed—and these work in concert to turn the moisture in the building into vapor so that it can be removed from the structure. This equipment is run for several days in most cases where it is feasible to do so. During that time, we monitor the moisture levels and the operation of the equipment carefully.

The drying agents that work best in the structures of Eagle quickly and effectively dry out moisture wherever it may hide. In most cases, that means a combination of high-powered air movers—that is, really fast fans—and dehumidifiers. These two types of equipment are required, used together, to dry out any wet surface and the air around it, too. The dehumidifier is really just a fancy name for a device that pulls moisture out of the air and is similar in operation to an air conditioning system. Low grain refrigerant dehumidifiers work exceptionally well with very humid environments.

The optimal temperature for structural drying usually lies between 70°F and 90°F. This range allows for efficient evaporation without causing further damage or promoting the growth of mold and mildew. The factors of ventilation and humidity are equally as important as temperature when it comes to the effective drying of a wet building. Drying a wet building is just as much about evaporation as it is about the control of ventilation and humidity.

The 60-60 drying technique calls for indoor temperatures to be held at 60 degrees Fahrenheit and with a relative humidity of 60% during drying operations. This combination is intended to optimize the evaporation rate of moisture from materials in the structure while preventing secondary damage, such as mold growth. The technique appears to have been developed in the 1990s. At first, it was used mostly for drying documents and small electronic devices. It is now also applied in the field to drying out structures that have been affected by water damage.