Dry It

People ask me all the time what the repercussions are with living in a house with mould.

To answer this question properly I think the most important thing to do is look at the occupants in the house of concern and determine whether or not any of the occupants are considered to be high risk.

A high risk occupant would be considered someone who is under 2 years of age of over 60, has had a recent surgery or suffers from a serious disease, has asthma or some other allergic type disease or is pregnant.  Anybody who falls under this category of being a high risk occupant has their immune system compromised or working overtime already and has a more limited capability to fight off mould allergens or toxins.

This does not mean that there are no issues for healthy people in an environment that has indoor mould growth. Health Canada recognizes mould to be an allergen. Healthy people can become sensitized to mould allergens and after chronic exposure can become allergic to mould. When you factor in the fact the mould is ubiquitous, this means that mould can make even healthy people chronically sick.

If visible mould is seen in a home it is important not to panic. I have yet to find a home that had no mould in it. However you should determine whether or not the mould is a common by-product of living in a house or is a result of water damage.

Mould that results from water intrusions and the subsequent water damage of a home is often toxic mould. These moulds are often saprophytic moulds, which means they grow on organic materials like drywall (paper), wood, beams, joists, plywood, natural fibre carpet and rugs and other plant based materials. It is accepted that mould does take time to grow. Even under optimal conditions mould will take 24-48 hours to start growing and 48-72 hours to see visible evidence of it. If mould is found at the same time as water damage or intrusion has just occurred the mould is almost certainly pre existing.

Besides time, mould requires other specific conditions to grow, they are: moisture, stagnant air, a source of food and the right temperature. Many species of mould do not like light either.

If you find mould on the caulking of a window or bathtub or on the tiles of your shower stall this is a situation that requires more diligent cleaning. This can easily be cleaned away with a surfactant based cleaner like mild dish soap or a specially formulated fungicide cleaner. There are other products that can be sprayed on after cleaning that prevent mould from growing on the surface again. Bleach is no longer considered an appropriate cleaner for mould growth.

If mould is found to be growing on porous or permeable structural items, especially plant based structural building materials, an indoor environmental professional (IEP) experienced in mould remediation should be consulted. There are many people who claim to be “mould inspectors”. Don’t be afraid to question their credentials and experience.

Follow the scope or work and procedures that are written by an IEP when it comes to removing the mould from your house. Some of the requirements might seem a bit over the top by some people. You must always remember that mould spores are invisible to the eye and are easily aerosolized and then transported all over the home.

The secondary damage caused by an improper remediation often is much more extensive and costly than the initial mould remediation. ALWAYS use a Contractor who is experienced, trained, certified and insured for mould remediation. It is extremely rare that a homeowner has the equipment or knowledge to do this work on their own. Minimum equipment requirements would be HEPA filtered air filtration devices and HEPA filtered vacuums that have been DOP or POA tested, containments constructed of 6mil poly and full personal protective gear such as PAPR respirators and body suits, gloves and boots.

When choosing a Contractor for your mould remediation make sure that your contract covers  potential complexities, complications, conflicts and limitations that may occur as a result of your remediation. They can and often do arise and can sometimes carry with them significant increases in the cost of the project. If you are working within a strict budget a mechanism must be in place to accommodate these potential problems.

Which Method Will Evaporate The Water Out Of The Pot Faster!

Boiling the Water or Putting it in the oven at 500 degrees?

The Winner?

Boiling the Water!

Boiling The Water

 Then asked, most people assume that the water in the pot on top of the stove would take longer to evaporate, but it doesn’t.  In our tests, it took 22-25 minutes to evaporate the water on the stove top.  Why is this? Because the vapor pressure of the water is higher than the vapor pressure of the air. Basically, in this example, the temperature of the boiling water is higher than the temperature of of the surrounding air, and this causes faster evaporation. 

The Oven Example

Most people assume that, because the temperature in the oven reached 500 degrees, that the water would evaporate faster than on the stovetop. Makes sense, right?  In our tests, the pot of water took 2 hours to evaporate at 500 degrees. How could that be? Because the vapor pressure of the water was close to the vapor pressure of the air.  You see, in this example, the temperate of the air and the temperatures of the water were about equal, causing a similar “vapor pressure.” As a result, the water evaporated slowly.

How Does Evaporation Occur? Now that we know that the vapor pressure of the water was higher than the air and that is what caused the faster evaporation, let’s now understand when evaporation occurs.

In the IICRC S500, Chapter 5, page 122;

“Psychometric by definition” = evaporation occurs if the vapor pressure of the air is lower than the surface vapor pressure of the material.”

So let’s go back to that illustration.  The vapor pressure of the air was lower than the vapor pressure of the boiling water and that is why the evaporation rate was fast.

Now, what is the definition of vapor pressure?

“Vapor Pressure = A measure of a substance’s propensity (a natural inclination or tendency) to evaporate…It increases exponentially with an increase in temperature.” – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

What Does All This Mean To A Restorer?

According to the EPA, the ONLY way to increase the vapor pressure exponentially is by adding HEAT.

Have you ever asked yourself “Why does it take 3-5 days to dry out wet structures?  When we are drying a wet structure aren’t the wet materials cooler when it is wet?” YES! So, when we are using in place drying and we have air movers moving the air in a room, the vapor pressure of the wet materials is CLOSE to the vapor pressure of the air. To make it even easier to understand, the temperature of the wet materials is close to the temperature of the ambient air, which means SLOWER evaporation.  That is why it takes 3-5 days to dry out wet structures.

Therefore, if we can get the vapor pressure of the wet materials higher compared to the vapor pressure of the air, the FASTER the evaporation.  In simplistic terms, the higher the temperature of the wet materials compared to the surrounding air, the faster the evaporation rate.

However, if we are just heating the air, the temperature of the wet materials is close to the temperature of the air which means slower evaporation, regardless of the temperature of the materials.  So how do we speed up the evaporation rate in the wet materials? By directing, floating, tenting, or containing the heat to the water.

Doesn’t Heat Naturally Rise?

If we just heat the air like a lot of other heat drying equipment does, where does the heat naturally go? You’re right – the ceiling.  Now, MOST of the flood jobs that restorers do start from the floor, and end about 2 feet up the wall.  The sill plates are the hardest and usually the last parts to dry in a wet structure.     

So, instead of just heating the air and wasting all our BTU’s, we should float, tent, contain or direct heat to the wet materials.  

So if we float the carpet as you see here, where is all the HEAT? Right at the water and when you heat water it evaporates

 Now what does the IICRC say about Heat?12.1.22    & 12.1. 23  (Page 52)  Heat accelerates evaporation, heat should be applied directly to materials

Now the IICRC did NOT say to heat the air, it stated to DIRECT the heat right to the materials and this will accelerate evaporation.
 

12.3.1.1        Partial (or soft) floating of carpet. Carpet acts as an insulator and holds heat close to the materials being dried. (Page 55)

So if floating of carpet was so bad for carpet then why does it say that by soft floating of carpet (we do not want the carpet flapping, this WILL cause delamination) this will act as basically an insulation blanket and keep the heat close to the materials being dried. Therefore, because the vapor pressure of the wet materials is HIGHER than the vapor pressure of the air, this means is that you will create FASTER evaporation or to understand in simplistic terms the temperature of the wet materials is hotter than the surrounding air which will cause faster evaporation.
 
12.3.2.10.4 Drying walls, solid wood floors, the underside of sub floors, etc. can be accelerated by applying heat to the materials.
Here it states that if you again apply HEAT to the materials you will dry faster. Do you notice it didn’t say to use warm air, no it stated to use heat and this will accelerate to evaporation rate.

And The Take Away Is… 

So after all this information we have come to realize that Heat Drying and Direct Heat Drying have two different categories. Now with TES/ETES if you just want to heat the air you can. But, if you can direct, contain, direct or tent the heat – this is what will help you create faster evaporation and then you can dry out wet structures faster.

 The only equipment out there that does all this is TES – the leader in Direct Heat Drying.

There is a CSA Standard for Emergency Response called the Z731. In this Standard it states that in every emergency there is an initial state of confusion and disbelief. When an emergency strikes there may be a time where responders are overwhelmed and cannot deal adequately with the emergency. Through proper preparation and planning the risk, loss and damage can be minimized.
Preparation of an emergency response plan for an apartment building can be divided into three categories: organizational objectives, hazard vulnerabilities and identifying resources.
First off we must be able to organize what the objectives are in an emergency. The objectives usually are preventing injuries or fatalities, preventing damage to property and a return to normal activities.
The plan must identify who is to be called first. The initial responder must have the authority to make decisions, this is especially important over the Christmas Holidays when the ability to contact senior management may not be possible. A list of potentially hazardous situations should be compiled. They usually fall into one of three categories- natural hazards, manmade hazards and technological hazards. For the purposes of this article we will focus on the manmade/natural hazards of water damage and fire and smoke damage. Then a series of safe operating practices should be devised for each one of the potential hazards that may be encountered.
After having compiled your list of potential emergency situations it is fairly evident that the first thing to do in most situations is to call 911. This is what makes water damage so different as an emergency because 911 will not respond to such a call. You must have a list of internal resources who are able to respond such as the phone number of the caretaker/superintendant to turn off the water. These responders must know where the water shut off valves are. Having the number for a plumber familiar with your building also helps. Call the plumbing company you use and see if you can obtain the emergency after hour’s number for the person on call and a secondary number just in case there is no answer. It is Christmas time we are preparing for here, the more numbers the better. Make sure you have the number for a disaster restoration company who offers 24/7 service and be sure its a company you already know responds quickly. When it comes to water damage the faster the response the less damage that will be caused. Have the number for your building’s electrician. Remind people that electricity and water are a potentially fatal mix. Electricians can be extremely difficult people to reach after hours. Have numbers for a second and even third alternative company just in case there are several other buildings being affected by the same situation.
The numbers for all internal and external resources should be readily available to all security personnel. If the building has no on site security then an emergency number should be posted on the call board. It is extremely effective to have these numbers on stickers or magnets and posted in places that they cannot be missed. In Southwestern Ontario you can contact www.dryit.ca.
Once you know who to call and when to call them it is important to devise a list of do’s and don’ts in your buildings.

• In particular identify where the shut off valves are, if there are certain valves that should not be touched mark them as such.
• If there are energy sources that may require locking out then have them identified
• Be sure on site personnel has an idea where the electrical and plumbing conduits are in the building
• Never allow fire stops to be compromised
• Never touch any power sources while you are wet
• Never enter wet electrical rooms
• Be aware of water lines that may have additives that are unsafe to the sanitary sewer system such as roof top heating systems and rust inhibitors in sprinkler systems
• Evaluate the source of the water and if it is potentially pathogenic ensure appropriate engineering controls, safe work practices and personal protective equipment are employed
• Clearly define what mitigating your water damage means in your facility
• Make sure the necessary building blueprints are available to emergency personnel
• Make it clear when an evacuation of the building is required and how the evacuation is to be conducted

The main purpose of this article is to identify the areas of concern during a flood that people who are not normally under the chain of command of the building may be required to make decisions on.
Always remember that the longer it takes to make a decision in a water damage situation the more the water runs, the further it will go and the more damage it will cause.
James (Lee) Senter is the owner of Dryit. Lee is an IICRC Approved Water Damage Remediation Instructor teaching classes across Canada. Lee is an IICRC Master Water Restorer, Master Fire and Smoke Restorer and the Chair of the IICRC Canadian Health and Safety Technician committee. Dryit is a disaster restoration company specializing in dealing with condominiums and office buildings in Southern Ontario. Dryit guarantees one hour response time in regular traffic flow hours. Dryit offers water damage remediation, smoke and fire remediation and mould remediation. Our website is http://www.dryit.ca.

The idea of a water break in a condominium building usually sends shivers down a property manager’s back. Floods should be part of a building’s emergency response plan. There should be a 911 mentality. What to do in the event of such an emergency should be clearly outlined with security, management, maintenance staff and unit owners.

There are two constants with water, it moves away from its source and it always takes the path of least resistance. This usually means that the water is finding a way to move down wards. In a condo high rise this can mean that given enough time even the smallest water intrusion can affect many units.

Quick response is of paramount importance. Migrating water must be contained at its source. It must be extracted before it soaks into the permeable building materials, flooring and unit’s contents.

When picking a company for disaster restoration, response time should be one of the most important factors. The company should be able to respond in one hour or less. The company should have solid systems and procedures. The technicians of the company should at minimum be certified in water damage restoration and aware of the standards of the industry and legislation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Building staff should know how to turn off the water if it is required. It is quite remarkable how often building staff will be unable to turn off the water for over an hour and of course the water continues to run and migrates down. Management should be able to immediately determine whether or not the pipe that broke contains contaminants. Many pipes have additives in the water such as glycol ethers and rust inhibitors.

Glycol ethers are commonly used in roof top heating systems to prevent them from freezing in the winter. This additive is considered to be a water pollutant. Should a pipe with such additives break, none of the additive can enter the sewer system. The contaminated water cannot even enter the sanitary sewer system. The water must be collected and a Generator’s License must be obtained from the Ministry of the Environment and all the contaminated water must be disposed of by a hazardous materials expert.

The professional water restorer should be able to review an MSDS of the water additive upon arriving at the scene. The restorer should also be able to review the building’s survey so that a proper designated substance hazard assessment can be properly completed before removal of any water damaged building materials can commence.

The Standard for Water Damage restoration is the IICRC S500 Standard for Water Damage Remediation 3^rd Edition. This Standard divides water losses into three categories of water type. Category 1 which is commonly called Clean Water, Category 2 which is referred to as Gray Water and Category 3 otherwise known as Black Water.

Category 1 water poses no risk to humans and can be cleaned up easily. However as Cat 1 water travels over floorcoverings and through building materials the classification of the water may change to Cat 2 or Cat 3.

Category 2 water is contaminated water that can cause significant discomfort to humans. Water from aquariums, toilet water (not beyond the trap), waterbeds, washing machines and dishwashers are all good examples of Cat 2 water.

Category 3 water is considered grossly contaminated and poses significant harm to humans. The presence of pathogenic bacteria and viruses is common is such water. Any groundwater or water from sewers, drains etc from beyond the trap is considered Cat 3.

When Cat 2 water comes into contact with porous and permeable items consideration should be given to disposing of these items. Any such item that comes in contact with cat 3 water must be disposed of.

As an industry instructor I am always asked the proper way of performing water damage and preventing any possibility of mould. Well the prevention of mould is quite simple. Get everything dry. I don’t mean dry to the hand, I mean dry to the moisture meter.

The primary concern for any professional water damage restorer is to get the walls, ceilings and floors dry. People with no experience in water damage are usually focussed on the floor coverings being dry. However the biggest cause of mould in water damage is walls constructed of drywall not being dried properly. Air movers and specialty wall drying systems must be put in place immediately and left running otherwise mould will grow. There are many interesting systems available to dry structural components. Take a look at some of the tools we use at www.dryit.ca.

Unit owners and property mangers will always find a water damage a bit chaotic. However as long as the these two basics are followed—extract the water and dry the structure immediately, secondary damage will be kept to a minimum.

James (Lee) Senter is the owner of Dryit.ca. Lee is an IICRC Approved Water Damage Remediation Instructor teaching classes across Canada. Lee is an IICRC Master Water Restorer, Master Fire and Smoke Restorer and the Chair of the IICRC Canadian Health and Safety Technician committee. Dryit.ca is a disaster restoration company specializing in dealing with condominiums and office buildings in Southern Ontario. Dryit guarantees one hour response time in regular traffic flow hours. Dryit.ca offers water damage remediation, smoke and fire remediation and mould remediation. Our website is http://www.dryit.ca.

I have been performing water damage remediation in condos for years.Water damage or flooding is recognized by most people as being an emergency that requires immediate attention. Many buildings do not have an emergency response plan. Emergencies that are outside the scope of the facility management’s office to deal with themselves should have the required outside resources identified and the appropriate contact information provided.
It used to be that all emergency phone numbers were made available to security officers, janitors, superintenants and building managers. But over the years this list of phone numbers is not as in-grained into our systems as they used to be. Afterall most emergencies are dealt with by 911.
Quick response by a building’s preferred contractor in water damage remediation is absolutely essential. Response times should be in the range of 15-60 minutes. When the emergency contractor arrives water extraction should commence immediately.
Water moves quickly away from its source. In condominium apartment buildings a slow response by the contractor may result in the water flowing down several more levels and affect several units per floor.
Another major concern of building management should be the identification of all possible water shut offs. It is sad when you have an emergency and the on-call staff of the building does not have the ability to stop the water flow. All on-call staff should be fully informed on the location of all water shut off valves.
Another point that is often not taken into consideration is the source of the water. Water is usually viewed as “clean” or “gray” or “black”. The organization that makes the standards for water damage and mould remediation is the IICRC. In the IICRC S500 Standard for Water Damage Remediation 3rd edition, the Standard refers to clean water as “Category 1″, gray water as “Category 2″ and black water as “Category 3″. The latest edition now makes no reference to the terms clean, gray or black water.
One factor that is often not considered by both building management or the water damage contractor is the source of the “clean” water. Water that has escaped from roof top heating systems usually has an anti freeze in the system. This anti freeze is often glycol ether. This glycol ether cannot be placed in the sanitary sewer system because our water treatment system is unable to purify it from the water.
Should there be a water damage as a result of such a system failure your heating and air conditioning contractor should be contacted immediately and an assessment of the anti freeze additive be made immediately. Should it be glycol ether a generator’s license must be obtained from the Ministry of the Environment and the extracted water collected shall be disposed of by a licensed waste hauler.
The fines associated with flushing or disposing glycol ether down the sanitary sewer system usually start at $25,000.
James (Lee) Senter is the owner of Dryit.ca. Lee is an IICRC Approved Water Damage Remediation Instructor teaching classes across Cnada. Lee is an IICRC Master Water Restorer, Master Fire and Smoke Restorer and the Chair of the IICRC Canadian Health and Safety Technician committee. Dryit.ca is a disaster restoration company that operates in Southern Ontario and gurantees one hour response time in regular traffic flow hours. Dryit.ca offers water damge remediation, smoke and fire remediation and mould remediation. Our website is http://www.dryit.ca.