Drying Equipment

During the initial response to a typical water damage loss, water is extracted, furniture and contents are moved or protected, damaged building materials are removed, drying equipment is set up and an antimicrobial is sprayed. After the initial visit, your technician will follow up to check on the drying process. Complete drying takes time and patience is required. It is during this time that you may have some concerns or questions about the equipment in your home or business. Your technician is your best resource for information relating specifically to your loss. For general information and frequently asked questions, please read on…

How does the equipment work?

Let’s start with the dehumidifier, as it is the heartbeat of the drying process. Every other piece of drying equipment depends on its ability to provide the driest air possible for better evaporation. Dehumidifiers dry by lowering the humidity to extremely low levels so that “deep drying” can occur. Dehumidifiers are often partnered with air movers. Air movers direct high-velocity airflow across the surface of water-damaged materials. This airflow converts the surface moisture into water vapour and lifts it into the air. The dehumidifier removes this water vapour from the air then returns the “dry” air back into the environment to promote more efficient evaporation. The trapped moisture then wicks to the surface and the cycle repeats itself until dryness is achieved.

How can you tell if it is really dry?

At Superior Disaster Services Ltd., our water damage specialists are IICRC certified Structural Drying, Water Damage and Mould Remediation Technicians. They understand how to properly install and place equipment and have been trained to use the proper tools to measure moisture levels and to track the drying process as it progresses until a “dry standard” has been achieved – but more importantly – our specialists have many years of practical experience and are extremely knowledgeable in their area of expertise!

Won’t all this equipment overload my electrical system?

No. Your technician understands the proper placement of drying equipment, both for drying purposes and safe installation. A circuit can only be loaded to 80% of its capacity for a continuous load (where the maximum current is expected to continue for three hours or more). This means that for water damage restoration, where equipment may run for days at a time, you can safely use 12 amps of a 15-amp circuit. At Superior, we use specialized equipment by Dri-Eaz®, which are very powerful, yet have a low amp draw.

Click here to view a Daily Electrical Chart for typical equipment