Hidden Moisture Inside Wall Cavities in a Carol Stream Property Leads to Water Damage--SERVPRO Can Mitigate Losses with Our Skilled Teams

9/27/2019 (Permalink)

An Inspection, then Water and Moisture Removal Are Crucial to Water Damage Restoration in Carol Stream Homes--SERVPRO

The Worst Water Damage Is the Kind Carol Stream Homeowners Cannot See

According to a study released by the Insurance Information Institute, an average of one in fifty homes suffers the effects of water damage in the Carol Stream area, with a full 98% of basements receiving water at some point in their service life. Water loss occurs in numerous ways, and some of the most common occurrences are when a slow leak has gone unnoticed for some time, and suddenly the seal or supply line breaks inside the wall or ceiling, and water spots leave no doubt about what happened.

The result is particularly detrimental when a leak begins in a room such as a bathroom in a Carol Stream home and leaves water damage in several areas as the coverage area of the leak widens within the wall cavity. When SERVPRO technicians arrive on-site, they trace the route of the water using their moisture detection equipment to ensure complete water extraction happens.

Creating Drainage and Airflow
Mitigation of water loss when the leak is within a wall cavity creates numerous challenges for SERVPRO technicians. They initially start with weep holes to allow for drainage, and if they determine the amount of water within the wall cavity or floor joists requires more significant amounts of airflow, they remove damaged sheetrock using a clean-cutting method known as flood cuts. The weep holes are drilled in the area of the removed baseboards, and injectidry equipment can be used to dry the voids. Heated, forced air directed within the cavities via small hoses can often eliminate the need for partial demolition.

Lowering Humidity and Drying Rapidly
After any type of water loss, homeowners commonly use fans to attempt to dry the affected area. This action does little. SERVPRO technicians use equipment such as centrifugal air movers paired with dehumidifiers that circulate warm, dry air while it removes moisture and ports it away. When needed, special attachments such as drying mats force air into floor joists while the Injecti-Dry system is ideal for drying within wall cavities, as previously explained.

Proactive Treatments for Mold
In the cases where a leak has been ongoing, mold in the vicinity is common. SERVPRO technicians look for signs of mold colonies and treat areas most likely to develop mold using antimicrobial cleaning solutions as well as sealers as needed.

SERVPRO of Carol Stream / East Bloomingdale at (630) 830-6236 assists local property owners with the cleanup of water damage and performing restoration services in their homes to make the water loss "Like it never even happened."