Case study: Flood Drying in Devon
How our experts dealt with flooding in a bungalow due to a burst pipe.
When it comes to flooded properties, we often assume the cause is sudden and heavy rainfall. However, a common cause of flooding is a burst pipe or leak. Leaked water can cause extensive property damage and requires expert and prompt remedial care.
ServiceMaster’s technicians are trained to deal with flood water and have specialist water-drying equipment. This recent case study from ServiceMaster Restore Devon provides insight into our process and the benefits of using our services to deal with the aftermath of a leak or flood.
What was the problem?
We attended a semi-detached bungalow that suffered a water escape during the night due to a burst pipe. Our client was unaware of the situation until she woke to find water had saturated the floors (concrete with laminate wood-effect flooring) in several rooms—the bedroom, conservatory, and kitchen.
Solution
Our step-by-step process to remediate the damage was as follows:
- We drilled small holes in the floors to access the concrete below with our moisture probes. This investigation confirmed water moisture equivalent (WME) readings of 100% (saturated).
- We removed the laminate floor to expose the sub-concrete floor below.
- After carefully removing the furniture to a safe space, we installed a tented drying system in each room to only localise the drying to the floor, as other areas were unaffected.
- We used a combination of refrigerant dehumidifiers to reduce humidity in the room and desiccant dehumidifiers to blow warm, dry air into the polythene tents. Using both types of humidifiers together creates a very dry atmosphere, accelerating moisture evaporation in a targeted way.
- We installed humidity sleeves into the concrete and completed weekly visits to check the equipment, take moisture readings, and monitor the overall drying progress.
- At our weekly visits, we adjusted the tenting to ensure the drying system continued to operate at optimum levels.
Outcome
Our swift intervention prevented further damage to the property and ensured our client could reinstate her home in the least amount of time possible. It took approximately six weeks to dry the floors completely.
Upon completion, we issued a certificate of dryness and a final report with all the key information for the homeowner’s records.
Need us?
For swift restoration following a flood or water leak, contact the ServiceMaster Restore Devon team on 01803 200 278 or email office@smcdevon.co.uk
For residential or commercial carpet, rug, upholstery or hard floor cleaning, visit our ServiceMaster Clean website.
Or nationwide, find your nearest ServiceMaster Restore business to see how we can help you today.
