Do Not Skip Water Removal When Remediating Damage from Failed Plumbing or Appliances in Knoxville

8/14/2022 (Permalink)

Whether the excess water comes in from above or below, team SERVPRO can help. Contact our technicians any time day or night - 365 days a year.

Let us handle the problem for you

Water flowing from a broken pipe or malfunctioning equipment like a water heater in Knoxville does not drain away on its own. Some homeowners might believe that opening windows and running fans to speed evaporation after a water loss provide the appropriate level of intervention. Although a drying phase is essential to bringing your water damaged home back to preloss condition, failing to remove as much liquid water as possible exposes buildings to the risk of permanent and lingering damage.  

The first step after the pipe bursts or the hose loosens is water removal. Knoxville homeowners who schedule an assessment with us should expect our managers to design a project plan that evacuates water rapidly. Pumps are appropriate for water deeper than two inches while wanded extractors vacuum up residual water and have the flexibility to get into tight spaces.

SERVPRO also uses thermal imaging to locate any hidden pockets of water trapped in building cavities. Our Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Reconstruction Certification (IICRC)-trained technicians use a range of strategies to release, contain, and dispose of the water outside of your dwelling. Controlled demolition tactics like flood cuts or holes drilled in mortar joints help complete water removal.

When water seeps into crevices or moves between fixtures or structural components, SERVPRO diligently extracts the liquid. An example is the use of a negative air pressure system on hardwood floors. We attach floor mats on the surface, hook up hosing to a high-efficiency extractor, and suctions the water in its liquid state from between planks and several levels of subflooring. 

Research shows that removing liquid water is 500 times more efficient than neglecting this step and depending on applied structural drying techniques to do the majority of mitigation and remediation. SERVPRO takes the time to finish water removal,  decreasing the hours and expense needed for structural drying.

Only when we are satisfied that water removal is complete does our crew lead determine final drying goals. SERVPRO technicians are skilled in Applied Structural Drying (ASD). Blowing air over puddles or positioning drying equipment in standing water is exceptionally inefficient and hazardous.  Best practices stress the focus should be heating and drying the air to facilitate the transfer of the absorbed water into vapor for dehumidifiers to capture. 

Partner with the team at SERVPRO of Rocky Hill / Sequoyah Hills / South Knoxville for appropriate water removal services. We answer your call to (865) 862-8907 day or night.