Reducing Flood Damage Aftereffects in Glendale
12/21/2019 (Permalink)
Reducing Flood Damage Aftereffects in Glendale using Dehumidification
Being overwhelmed by a flooded household is an entirely natural circumstance. With water around your ankles, it can be tough to figure out where to start rebuilding your home. Floodwaters can become contaminated, make floors slippery, or bring in debris from outside. In the immediate aftermath, you should take stock of what is necessary but avoid trying to save all your possessions. Often professional recovery teams can restore damaged contents providing that exposure to moisture is kept to a minimum.
As a homeowner dealing with flood damage here in Stockton, your first move should be to collect essential documents, medicine, and communication devices. Contacting a professional restorer like SERVPRO can help you to recover much more over the coming days and weeks. However, the mitigation of loss is vital as consistent exposure over 72 hours can cause irreparable harm. Reducing water levels, blocking furniture, and securing the structure is essential to mitigating losses.
One aftereffect of flooding is rising humidity levels. Large bodies of the water dissipate into the surrounding atmosphere increasing humidity. Humidity levels over 60 grains per pound (GPP) can cause mold growth, condensation in electronics as well as water damage inside wall cavities. These issues can make a flooding issue a lasting problem and need addressing as soon as possible.
Dehumidification and raising the temperature in the space is essential to drying a structure properly. Warm air holds more moisture and can speed up the drying process. We use refrigerant (LRG) dehumidifiers in the first stage of restoration to lower the relative humidity of the structure efficiently. However, porous materials dry faster than structural materials. To combat this, SERVPRO can bring in desiccant dehumidifiers that use silica gel to draw moisture from the air. The exhausts deposit moist air outside of structure, replacing it with drier indoor air that significantly speeds up evaporation.
Dehumidification is an essential part of flood restoration services. For assistance, contact SERVPRO of Eagle Rock / South Glendale at (323) 255-1000.
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