Why Humidity Control is Essential After Water Damage

Floods can be a nightmare for any homeowner. You're sitting pretty and watching a lovely show for one moment, then bam - you have wet carpets, stained walls, and maybe even destroyed furniture. However, the problem that usually concerns people more, and first of all, is the one that can be seen with the naked eye. It has an invisible and much more dangerous partner - humidity.

This aspect is usually ignored as people panic when faced with water damage, but humidity determines how much your property can be restored. In fact, the war against humidity starts right after the water has been washed or dried. Getting the environment dry is not only an issue of drying things out; it's also about re-equilibrating the amount of moisture in the air and materials within your home. In this article, we will explain why controlling humidity is the secret behind water damage restoration activity.

The Role of Humidity in Water Damage Restoration

In the event that water gets into your house, relative humidity within the affected area increases exponentially. This excess moisture does not remain in the air, but rather, it finds its way into every corner it possibly can. Even if you do not think to check, moisture loves to dwell in carpets, furniture, drywall, and wood structures. And here's the kicker: it's not always visible.

When humidity levels rise, the drying process slows down significantly. If not well handled, items that have soaked in water will take a long time to dry or may never dry at all. This not only slows down the restoration process but also causes a lot of damage that can only be aggravated. Occasionally, these parts that take too long to dry will have to be replaced, which adds to the cost and is not very entertaining.

Thus, controlling humidity is not merely a component of water damage remediation but the one that defines whether your building will ever return to normal or whether you will be dealing with consistent problems in the future.

Consequences of Not Controlling Humidity After Water Damage

Now, let's look at the scene that unfolds when humidity is not regulated after water damage occurs. If you can picture the air being laden with moisture, you're not doing anything to mitigate this. Perhaps you are starting to feel that all is well because the visible water is no more. However, if humidity is not controlled, there are signs that things begin to deteriorate.

• Mold Growth: Mold grows best when it is moist and damp. Mold grows very fast and poses a health risk to all the inhabitants of the home, particularly to those with breathing difficulties resulting from allergies.
• Rotting Wood: Wood is extremely sensitive to humidity. When it remains wet, it starts to decompose and lose its strength. Ceilings, walls, floors, and all wooden structures like beams, furniture, etc. can be affected.
• Warps and Cracks: Humidity can cause materials like drywall and wood to warp, crack, or swell. This is bad for your walls, flooring, and other surfaces, potentially causing permanent deformation.
• Odor Development: Even after the water has dried, you may still experience unpleasant odors. This musty smell will persist until the root cause - humidity - is properly dealt with.

Feet Up Carpet Cleaning of Towson has seen countless instances where improper humidity control led to extensive damage, adding weeks or even months to what should have been a quick recovery. This isn't a risk you want to take when time is of the essence.

How to Manage Humidity After Water Damage

Effective post-flood humidity control starts with not only eliminating the visible water but also addressing the moisture in the air and everything it has come into contact with. The first step is to remove as much water as possible from the affected area. Water can seep into areas you don't imagine, including behind walls and into furniture. After the visible water is removed, it's critical to control the humidity level.

This process requires high-powered fans and dehumidifiers. Fans help circulate the air to prevent moisture from settling, while dehumidifiers extract moisture from the air, reducing humidity levels. Monitoring humidity during restoration with tools like hygrometers is essential for ensuring proper drying.