STEP 1:  Water Removal

The amount of water removed will often determine the level of damage your home will sustain.  The more moisture left behind after removal efforts, the more materials will be negatively impacted.  Moisture seeks out dry materials in an attempt to achieve equilibrium.  Structural moisture WILL NOT STOP at your carpet and pad.  Moisture will migrate into the wall framing, sheetrock, finish carpentry, etc., until it has equalized the moisture load.

There are situations where the homeowner can mitigate a flooding event on their own. Unfinished basements are a good example.  With a good vacuum or even a squeegee, most of the moisture can be removed.  However, the more interior finishes there are, the more likely it is that you'll need professional help.

The reality is that a shop-vac, or even a truck-mounted carpet extractor, will not produce the necessary suction to effectively extract moisture from carpet and pad.  The excess moisture trapped in the structure will damage other finishes and very likely create the conditions for mold growth.

STEP 2:  Dehumidification

Producing dry, "thirsty" air is crucial to liberating moisture from structural materials.  The drier the air, the more evaporation you will enable.  Never evaporate large quantities of moisture into the air without dehumidifying it.  High humidity levels can cause secondary damage to items such as photos, wallpaper, framed art, paper products, etc.  It can also cause condensation of the moisture on and inside materials, creating the potential for mold growth.

Turn off any humidifiers you may have running, turn on your air-conditioner and any dehumidifiers you can get you hands on.  A rough rule-of-thumb is 1 pint of dehumidification for every five square feet of wet floor (i.e., 200 SF bedroom would require 1 - 40 pint dehumidifier).

STEP 3:  Evaporation

The only way to liberate the remaining moisture that can't be physically removed is by evaporation.  Evaporation is a function of rapid, direct air flow.  For a small amount of water, get as much airflow as possible on the affected areas.  Even when you think the area is dry, allow fans to run for a minimum of an additional 24 - 96 hours.

For larger amounts of water, there are only a handful of drying fans that are engineered specifically for structure drying.  The fans sold at Menards or The Home Depot are probably not sufficient for substantial structural drying.  For serious structural drying, DRS has the most efficient air movers on the market.  We use them on our restoration projects and rent the same units directly to public.

STEP 4:  Control the Environment for Optimal Drying Conditions

Once the drying system is in place, the environment must be closely managed.  Moisture and temperature levels play a crucial role in the rate of evaporation and therefore must be controlled if the structure is to dry properly and safely.  In general, keep the temperature above 70 degrees for residential dehumidifiers. 

For larger structural drying projects, consider having a  professional water damage restoration company to engineer, monitor and control the environment for you.