Whether it’s from a leak, a flood, or the result of fighting a fire, water damage is one of the most destructive issues that can plague a building. That’s because water is a natural solvent that can degrade nearly any material if given enough time. It also encourages the growth of mold and other harmful microorganisms and has a tendency to spread undetected. Even a small amount of water leaking through a rooftop and into an attic can play havoc on a home’s insulation.
At Biodynamic, we specialize in restoring houses after devastating floods and storm damage, using proven water extraction processes to dry out your property while also protecting unaffected areas.
In the following blog post, we’ll share our expertise to help you locate the telltale signs of moisture in your home. We’ll also offer some advice from our cleaning and remediation experts on drying out a house after water damage.
Look Out for Hidden Damp Spots
Sometimes, water enters your home in a dramatic (and obvious) fashion, such as during a major flood or storm. In other cases, it may be more subtle, such as a hidden leak or simply due to excessive humidity in the indoor environment. Of course, the former may also lead to the latter. You may have spent a great deal of time and money removing the several inches of water that a burst pipe has left, only to discover that residual moisture has permeated some of the more hidden areas of your home.
Regardless of the original source, it’s critical to learn how to identify the key signs that indicate the presence of excess water in your house. You may see brown, yellow, or black streaks across areas where water has flowed, or you may notice an increase in energy costs as a result of damaged insulation.
Water damage may affect the floors. The presence of moisture will cause wooden floors to warp and buckle. Tile flooring may crack and become loose as water seeps through the subfloor. Carpets can become discolored and retain musty odors as water encourages the growth of toxic mold within the fibers.
Ventilation Is Key
One of the main reasons moisture remains in a building and continues to cause damage after the original source of flooding has been removed is due to inadequate ventilation. Without proper airflow, moisture in the air will simply sit, stagnant. It may also pool in certain areas and be unable to evaporate.
For the reasons listed above, maintaining proper ventilation is one of the most important steps in drying out a house after water damage. This can be accomplished by placing fans in areas with limited airflow, keeping windows open when possible, and if necessary, installing new vents and larger windows as part of the post-damage restoration process.
Even after the home has been properly ventilated, it may take some time for the excess moisture to evaporate entirely. That’s why we recommend removing your more sensitive belongings, such as electronics, to a climate-controlled storage space until the house has been thoroughly dried out.
The Dangers of Excessive Humidity
In many cases, water damage isn’t necessarily caused by water flowing in its liquid form. Instead, water vapor in the atmosphere can be just as damaging, particularly when it begins to coalesce in specific areas. Excessive humidity indoors is also a major contributor to the growth of mold and other harmful microorganisms and bacteria.
To track the level of humidity in your building, you can make use of a device called a hygrometer, which is readily available for sale online and in many stores. Ideally, the level of moisture in the air should be between 40 and 60 percent. Any more is considered excessive and may contribute to water damage.
Overly humid air may be due to the outdoor climate, but it may also be caused by malfunctioning appliances inside the home. For example, a leaky washing machine may introduce moisture into the air that can then harm the surrounding property. Humidity may also result from poor ventilation in the building, as outlined above, particularly in rooms that already have a lot of moisture, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
If you have addressed the potential causes of humidity in your house only for it to continue to recur, consider investing in a dehumidifier. Portable dehumidifiers of all sizes can be found online and in most department stores and can remove excess moisture from the air in order to limit the risk of continuing water damage.
Restoring Your House After Water Damage
It’s important to note that drying out a house after water damage is about more than simply eliminating the moisture and its source. While doing so is absolutely necessary to prevent further property damage, it’s equally important to repair areas that have already been affected by the presence of water.
After using ventilation, dehumidifiers, and fans to bring the indoor humidity back to a manageable level, you will likely need to thoroughly clean floors and walls that water has reached to destroy any mold spores that have taken hold there. For smaller areas, a simple application of vinegar or bleach may be enough to kill off any mold that is present. However, for areas that have become more thoroughly saturated with fungal growth, you may need to remove and replace affected materials.
It may also be necessary to remove sections of drywall and flooring that have warped beyond repair by water. Even after drying them out completely, they may not be able to return to their original shape. Replacing damaged sections entirely is sometimes the only option for restoring the home to its pre-loss state. In either case, you will likely also need to repaint areas that have been heavily affected.
If more extensive damage has taken place, or if you are concerned that there are hidden areas in your home that are masking damp spots or pools of water, you may require a professional remediation service. Contact Biodynamic to discuss options for drying your home as thoroughly as possible and restoring damaged areas to bring your building back to its original state.
