From Water Extraction to Full Restoration, SERVPRO Provides Solutions to Flooding in LA

6/9/2021 (Permalink)

Contamined flood water wicked into the walls of this Los Angeles bathroom. SERVPRO provides a controlled demolition for storm damage mitigation

Flood Damage Situations in Los Angele

Removing the standing water alone is not enough to prevent further problems. To restore the effects of flood damage to your Los Angeles home, it needs to be adequately dried. SERVPRO maintains an extensive inventory of equipment designed to do just that and a trained, 24-hour response team to ensure the job is done correctly.

One of the key items used during flood damage in Los Angeles is an air mover. These are not fans but machines that push a concentrated mass of air across the wet surface of a wall, ceiling, or carpet. The concentrated air forces moisture out of the structural property. To maximize the effect in drywall or other wall paneling, technicians place air movers at a 45-degree angle to the surface. This positioning removes the most moisture possible, replacing it with drier air.

Drying out walls is further complicated by the presence of baseboards. Since the moisture trapped in them is typically wicked up from the floor, baseboards seal off the very part that needs drying the most. Our technicians carefully remove baseboards using a claw hammer or small crowbar and a small piece of paneling or plywood. This technique ensures we cause as little damage as possible to the affected area. If necessary, they also drill holes in the wall to increase airflow and accelerate drying. Our SERVPRO IICRC certified technicians could also rig shrouds and tubes to channel directional air movement and dehumidifier actions to dry out wetted cavities further.

To dry out ceilings, we place air movers against the wall with the vent pointed up. Besides its directed air, the air mover also circulates the warm air next to the ceiling to further speed up the drying process. If it has removable panels or tiles, several are removed at crucial points to dry out the surrounding air above it.

Carpets quickly begin to degrade in a day or two if not adequately dried. Technicians measure the size of the carpet to determine where to place the air mover(s) vent underneath it and where to carefully pull up a section of the carpet to ensure airflow properly without stretching or tearing it. The industry term is "floating" the carpet. There are instances where the soaked carpeting is contaminated and must be discarded.

Drying out your home and restoring it from the other effects of flooding is not a simple process. SERVPRO of Silver Lake / Echo Park is here to help you through every step and place you back into your home as quickly as we can. Call us today at (213) 628-2000 to get started.