Structural Drying

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What is Structural Drying

“Time heals all wounds,” or so they say. But trust us, as long as we’re talking about water damage in structures, time isn’t your friend. The timer starts ticking as soon as water enters a building, be it from a natural disaster or a burst pipe.

And the longer it sits in the building, the greater the risk it will pose to the structure’s integrity and the harder it will be to restore. Well, this is where structural drying enters the equation.

Structural drying is the process of removing excess moisture from structural materials such as concrete, wood, and drywall to prevent further damage, as well as bacteria and mold growth. It’s a critical step during restoration which comes right after water mitigation, typically involving skilled professionals and specialized equipment. 

When you call Vetted Los Angeles Restorations for restoration services, our experts will delve into the ins and outs of structural drying and show its significance in restoring your property after water damage.

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Water damaged home

How Structural Drying Works

Structural drying is a complex process that creates a regulated environment to encourage water evaporation and moisture removal from the atmosphere. The steps below demonstrate better how this fantastic technique works.

  1. Evaluating the extent of water damage: The first step in structural drying is to analyze the water damage extent and establish the scale of the drying process. This often entails clearing out any still water and looking for particularly damp areas in a property.
  2. Setting up specialized equipment: In this stage, specialized tools such as moisture meters, dehumidifiers, and air movers are required to establish optimal drying conditions, with air movers moving air throughout the afflicted region and dehumidifiers eliminating excess humidity from the air.
  3. Increasing the temperature: Raising the temperature of the affected spot area may help accelerate the drying process. This is done by upping the temperature to an evaporation-friendly level, which you can attain using heat-drying equipment. 
  4. Monitoring the drying process: Hygrometers and humidity meters come into play at this stage to ensure the atmosphere maintains the optimal humidity level for drying. By helping monitor the drying process, they help prevent under-drying or over-drying, both of which may bring about more damage.
  5. Removing excess moisture: As the excess water vaporizes, the dehumidifier captures and removes it from the air, helping lower the humidity levels and avoid further structural damage.

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The Importance of Structural Drying in Water Damage Restoration

We all know that water damage causes moisture accumulation in a building’s foundational components, which, if left untreated, can escalate to various problems. You wouldn’t want that.

Here are a few reasons showcasing the importance of structural drying in water damage restoration.

Prevents mold growth

Mold growth is mainly caused by excess moisture. If not controlled, it can swiftly proliferate and spread inside a building, leading to costly mold removal and, even worse, posing severe health hazards to occupants. You can avoid all this through structural drying by removing the excess moisture and preventing mold growth.

Reduces humidity levels

Excessive humidity may lead to various issues, such as foul odors, the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms, and building material deterioration. Structural drying helps lower humidity levels, promoting healthier and more appealing surroundings.

Removes excess moisture

Accumulated moisture can lead to many structural problems, including the buckling of ceilings, walls, and floors. Furthermore, water damage can severely compromise a building’s structural integrity as a whole, raising major safety concerns.

Structural drying can help property owners eliminate excess moisture, thus avoiding costly repairs and further building damage, and ensuring occupants’ safety. 

Need a structural drying service? Call us for a quote now!

(213) 657-5656

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structural drying equipment

Equipment Used in Structural Drying

As mentioned earlier, structural drying necessitates specialized equipment to create the ideal conditions for effective excess moisture removal. Some of this equipment includes:

  • Dehumidifiers: These are necessary to draw out excess humidity from the air. They function by taking in air, eliminating moisture, and expelling dry air into the atmosphere, helping lower humidity and avert any further damage associated with high humidity levels.
  • Air Movers: High-powered fans designed to move air across the area of concern, promoting evaporation and accelerating the drying process. They are often strategically placed to circulate air over surfaces of moist materials, such as floors, ceilings, and walls.
  • HEPA Vacuums: HEPA vacuums are used to rid surfaces of water and other debris. Their design allows them to filter out tiny particles and allergens, such as mold spores, that may be discharged back into the environment during drying.
  • Humidity Meters: Humidity meters determine the moisture content of surfaces compromised by water damage, such as floors and walls. The data obtained is then used to assess the damage’s severity and track the drying progress.
  • Heat Drying Equipment: These often include heat mats and heaters, which are used to raise the temperature of the afflicted region, encouraging evaporation and speeding up the drying process.
  • Air Scrubbers: These machines purify the air in the area of concern. They function by ridding the air of impurities and contaminants, such as bacterial and mold spores, so that only clean air is released back into the atmosphere during drying.

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Hazards Prevented with Structural Drying

Structural drying helps us prevent hazards associated with excess moisture. They include:

  • Mold growth: Through excess moisture removal, mold formation can be avoided, reducing the risk of respiratory issues and allergic reactions.
  • Slip and fall accidents: Damp surfaces can be slippery, increasing the likelihood of slip and fall accidents. By removing excess moisture from these surfaces, structural drying can help reduce the risk of injuries and accidents.
  • Structural damage: Structural drying helps prevent more structural damage to a building, ensuring occupant safety.
  • Electrical hazards: Water damage can also bring about electrical hazards, particularly when electrical appliances or wiring come into contact with water. However, structural drying can help prevent such.
  • Pest infestation: Moisture is welcoming to insects, rodents, and other pests, which pose health risks to occupants. Luckily, structural drying can help eliminate the excess moisture, reducing the likelihood of pest infestation.

(213) 657-5656

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Your Go-To Structural Drying Experts

Structural drying is critical to building restoration after water damage, helping prevent various risks caused by excess moisture. By working with seasoned experts and leveraging specialized equipment, you can ensure that your property is dried correctly and restored, reducing the need for costly repairs and safeguarding the safety and health of occupants.

Vetted Los Angeles Restorations partners with local companies who do exactly that. Their teams of dedicated professionals boast extensive experience in anything water damage restoration, so they are your guys if you want to restore your property to its former glory. Contact us today, and let’s help fix this.

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Our Services Areas

Besides Los Angeles, we also cover:

  • Gardena
  • Arcadia
  • Diamond Bar
  • Huntington Park
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  • Glendora
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