What is Structural Drying and When Do You Need It?
This December has been one of the warmest on record, however, the Farmer’s Almanac predicts our winter will be incredibly cold. We’ve previously given you tips on preparing your pipes for below freezing temperatures (link to Frozen Pipe blog), but if you experience a burst pipe during a below freezing weather event, we want you to understand how remediation works, including the phases of structural drying. Read on to learn how Classic dries your home or business to prevent mold and reduce damage to your building’s structure, which can include warped or rotted wood, warped sheetrock, electrical component damage and more!
Preparing your Home for a Cold Winter
Almost a year ago, most of us in North Texas can agree that we were not expecting the winter to cause damage to a lot of our homes and businesses. To keep the damage as minimum as possible for your properties, we at Classic Construction recommend getting ahead of the freeze with your at home generators to keep your power in case of rolling brown-outs. Insulating your pipes will be the other highly recommended preparation to keep your pipes from freezing and causing much unwanted structural damage to your property. Keep those weather and natural-cause notifications on during these colder months to stay ahead of any storms and keep your property safe from harm.
Causes of Trapped Moisture
Moisture problems tend to occur when excess moisture becomes trapped in a part of a building that should be dry. It can happen to any building and structure regardless of age. Some common mistakes that can lead to moisture issues are improper structure building, leaks in foundation, and damaged or aging pipes. These problems can be avoided by incorporating moisture controls into building designs such as proper gutter systems, condensation drainage systems, humidity controls, and an annual check up on pipes that might be cracked or leaking due to age. The key is to try to control moisture as best as possible so that it doesn’t accumulate where it can do potentially harmful damage.
The Structural Drying Process
Extracting water is typically the first step of the structural drying process, followed by testing for mold damage and asbestos. If either of those are detected, they will be professionally removed. You might think that after extracting all of the water and any mold that the areas in the building or home may be dry, but water content can still be quite high – to prevent more mold growth, dehumidification is necessary to be certain that any excessive water vapors are collected. One of the final methods in one of the most common structural drying processes is to maintain a constant temperature in the affected area(s) – too hot and the dehumidification process may not be effective, too cold and mold may begin to grow once again. Although there are more approaches to structural drying, these are the most common strategies you can expect when experiencing structural drying on a property.
Conclusion
Though it’s been a very warm December, this winter looks to be extremely cold according to forecasts. We’ve listed some tips on preparing your home or commercial property for a cold winter, how moisture becomes trapped in typically dry areas of a building, and what structural drying looks like when Classic Construction performs water remediation. If your building has suffered a leak, a burst pipe, or a flood, call us today! We’ll work with your insurance company to quickly and completely repair your property!