Water damage in the home isn't something you can ignore. All too often the moisture doesn't dry out quickly enough, so damages can be quite extensive and there is also the risk of mold. Your restoration service will begin with a damage inspection.
1. Visual Assessment
Most inspections begin with a visual assessment to determine where damage is most likely to be found. The water damage inspector is looking for obvious signs of damage, such as wet drywall, water staining on wall and ceiling surfaces, and visible mold. If the point of origin for the damage is unknown, then the inspector will also be looking for the likely source of the damage, such as the location of plumbing pipes, water fixtures, or possible foundation or roof leaks.
2. Moisture Readings
Once a visual inspection has provided guidance on where the most likely areas of moisture are likely to be, your inspector will probably pull out a moisture meter. These meters can measure the moisture content in walls. Pinless meters, which aren't as accurate, may first be used to narrow in on the area of likely damage. Then your inspector may use a pin meter to determine the extent and severity of the damage. Pin meters do leave small holes behind, which can be patched if no moisture is found.
3. Cavity Imaging
Another method that may be utilized, particularly if a non-invasive technique is preferred, is thermal imaging. Moisture behind a wall tends to have a temperature differential compared to the surrounding dry materials. This means a thermal imaging camera can be used relatively accurately to detect the exact range of the leak behind the wall. In some cases, thermal imaging can even trace the leak to the origination point, thus saving the need for extensive demolition.
4. Internal Inspection
It may be necessary to open up the wall or ceiling once your inspector is relatively sure of the exact location and spread of the moisture damage. This may involve removing entire sections of drywall or pulling up carpet, for example. In some cases, your inspector may only bore a small hole in different areas of the affected structure. They can then insert a boroscope into these holes so they can see the damage without pulling apart the entire section of the wall or ceiling.
5. Mold Testing
As a final step, mold testing may be completed. All too often where there is moisture damage there is also mold growth, because mold spores tend to be present everywhere. Mitigating mold damage is an important part of water damage restoration, so it's helpful for your inspection to reveal the extent of mold damage so an effective restoration and mitigation plan can be developed.
Contact a water damage restoration service for more info.
