Water Damage Protocol with SERVPRO® of Springfield

8/6/2018 (Permalink)

A non-invasive moisture meter.

SERVPRO® of Springfield water damage technicians utilize a simple, yet effective system to ensure that the damage is contained and ready to be cleaned and restored. Once a tech arrives on the scene of the damage, they make an assessment. During this assessment, special tools are used to determine how far the water has migrated both horizontally and vertically across any surfaces the water has come into contact with. A non-invasive moisture meter tracks the water on hard finish surfaces while an invasive moisture reader is utilized for carpets/rugs. Ensuring that all water damage is found during this stage is crucial as any overlooked areas will delay drying and has the potential to cause problems later on.

Once a damage perimeter has been established, the tech will create a drying plan. The drying plan will either be “aggressive” or “disruptive”. An “aggressive” method means that warm, direct airflow is used to dry wet items in place. This method is used when contamination and damage are not a concern. The “disruptive” method usually requires affected materials to be removed or perforated in order for drying to occur. Contamination, damage, cost or customer concerns are all factors in determining if a “disruptive” method will be used.

After a plan of action has been established, the SERVPRO® of Springfield crew comes in to extract water, elevate furniture on blocks, and set up equipment. They may perform other actions such as relocating furniture and removing damaged drywall and insulation or spraying an antimicrobial. Each damage is different and as such no plan for drying will ever be exactly the same. The crew will monitor the drying process every 24 hours to ensure that progress is being made. If, for some reason, a change is not noticed. A new plan is put into place until progress is seen. The size of the job determines the overall time frame but a noticeable decrease in moisture and humidity levels should be readily seen once a plan has been put into effect for 24 hours. When the drying process has been completed, the crew removes the equipment and cleans up any mess left behind. We do our best to make it “Like it never even happened.”

If a water damage occurs at your home or business, please give SERVPRO® of Springfield a call at 217-528-7775.