Drying a wall cavity
A wall cavity cannot be reached by air movers alone, so the crew opens a small section at the base or on the high side. Air is directed into the opening and the cavity is dried from the inside as the readings fall.
Serving Lauderdale County
Structural Drying and Dehumidification in Meridian
Air movers and dehumidifiers that dry walls, floors and framing to measured readings in Meridian.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Storm, wind and flood water
- Scope explained before work starts
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (833) 490-5225. Or send this and we call you back.
Structural Drying
Structural Drying and Dehumidification: what it covers
Quick answer
Structural drying uses air movers and dehumidifiers to pull moisture out of walls, floors, framing and cavities after water damage. In Meridian, the humid Mississippi air slows the process, so the drying runs to measured readings rather than a set number of days. A local technician sets the equipment, checks the readings and records the result.
Once the standing water is out, the building still holds moisture. It sits in the subfloor, the wall cavity, the framing and the insulation, and it will keep moving into the air until it is removed. Structural drying is the process of moving that moisture out in a controlled way, so the materials return to their normal condition before the rebuild starts.
Air movers push air across wet surfaces to speed evaporation, and dehumidifiers pull the moisture out of the air so the evaporation can continue. Both are needed in a humid climate. Without a dehumidifier, the air in a wet room can become saturated and stop taking moisture from the materials, which is why the equipment is set up as a system rather than one fan.
A drying plan is written from readings, not from a rule of thumb. If your building has been wet and you want to know what the drying involves, call (833) 490-5225 and ask the technician to explain the plan. The steps are also explained when the crew arrives.
- Service area
- Meridian & Lauderdale County
- Availability
- Phones answered 24/7
- Phone
- (833) 490-5225
Warning signs
Signs you need structural drying and dehumidification
Keep the power to the equipment on a safe, dry circuit, and do not run cords across wet floors or through standing water. Do not put a dehumidifier or air mover in water. Keep children and pets away from the equipment and the cords. Do not open equipment panels or move running units without the technician's advice.
- Walls, floors or ceilings that feel cool, damp or soft after water has been removed
- A room that stays musty with the windows and doors closed
- Warping or cupping in flooring or trim that continues after the surface has dried
- Moisture on the inside of a window in a room that was wet
- Baseboards or door frames that swell or stick as the wood takes up water
- Readings that stay high in one area even after the standing water is gone
- Equipment that is run once and never checked, leaving the structure to dry on its own
Our process
How our structural drying and dehumidification visit works
Take baseline readings
Before any equipment is set, the technician records the moisture in the wet materials and the air in the room. These readings are the starting point for the drying plan and the end point against which the job is judged.
Plan the air movement
Air movers are placed so that air crosses the wet surfaces and reaches the cavities. Their position is changed as the drying goes on, because the wettest surfaces change as the water moves out.
Set the dehumidification
Dehumidifiers are sized and placed for the volume of the room and the level of moisture in the air. Their exhaust is directed away from the living areas, so the moisture they remove does not return to the rest of the house.
Check the readings on a set schedule
The technician takes readings on a set schedule and compares them with the baseline. If a reading is not falling, the setup is changed, because the equipment is not doing the work it was placed for.
Finish at dry readings and record them
Drying is complete when the materials read at the dry level and the air in the room is back at a normal humidity. The final readings are written down and given to you, so the rebuild starts from a known condition.
Why does a building need dehumidifiers as well as fans?
Fans speed up evaporation, but they add the moisture they move to the air. A dehumidifier removes that moisture, so the air can keep taking water from the materials. In humid weather the air can stop drying the room without one.
Moving air over a wet floor alone can raise the humidity of the room until the evaporation slows. The dehumidifier lowers the moisture in the air, which keeps the evaporation going.
The two pieces of equipment are run together, and their positions are set so that the dry air is drawn across the wet surfaces. A crew that uses only fans will often find the readings stall, which is a sign the setup needs to change.
How do you know when a wall or floor is dry?
Dry means the material reads at the level set for it, measured with a moisture meter in the same spots as the baseline. A surface that feels dry to the hand can still hold moisture below the top layer, so the readings decide.
The technician uses a moisture meter on the framing, the subfloor and the wall, and records the readings against the baseline. Materials that are kept are measured until they are back at the level of the undamaged material next to them.
A reading that has stopped falling for a few checks tells the crew the drying is complete for that area, or that something is still holding moisture and needs looking at.
What moves the cost of a structural drying job?
The volume of wet material, how many rooms and levels are involved, how thick the wet materials are and how long the drying runs all decide the job. The price is explained and approved before work starts.
A wet area of a few hundred square feet in one room is a smaller job than one that covers a whole floor and a crawl space. Thick material such as a solid wood subfloor takes longer than thin drywall, and each cavity opened for drying adds work.
In humid weather the drying takes longer, and the equipment runs for more days. The crew explains the expected length and the equipment before it is set, and gives you the scope in writing.
Where should the drying air and exhaust go?
Dehumidifier exhaust and air moved across the wet area should not be directed into living rooms or the rest of the house. The crew places the equipment and vents so moisture is removed from the building and the rooms that stayed dry stay dry.
Keep doors to the wet area closed where you can, and keep the vents in that area closed if they carry air to the rest of the house. Tell the technician if children or people with breathing problems live in the house, so the layout can be planned around them.
Equipment cords run across floors. The technician routes them so they are not walked over, and checks that the power to the equipment is safe.
How long should a structural drying job be expected to run?
The length depends on the material, the depth of the water and the humidity. Drying in Meridian's humid air often runs for several days. The crew sets a schedule of readings and tells you when the drying is done.
A drying job is not measured in a set number of days. A thin wet wall may dry quickly, while a thick subfloor or a wet crawl space can run for longer. The readings show the progress, and the equipment is removed when they reach the dry level.
You will be told the expected length after the first readings, and it will be updated as the drying goes on. Ask the technician to explain any change to the schedule.
Options
Types and options for structural drying and dehumidification
Drying a floor and subfloor
Floors dry from the top and the underside. Air movers sit across the surface, and the subfloor is checked for water that has soaked deeper. Flooring is lifted where that water is trapped, so the subfloor can dry.
Drying a whole room or several rooms
A large wet area needs equipment placed to move air through every room in the chain. The crew sets the air movers and dehumidifiers so the moist air is drawn away from the dry rooms, and it checks each room on the same schedule.
Lauderdale County
Why structural drying and dehumidification is different in Meridian and Lauderdale County
Humid Mississippi air holds moisture, so the drying of a Meridian building depends heavily on the dehumidifiers. The crew sets equipment for the humidity of the building, not only for the wet material, and checks the air as well as the materials.
Storm-damaged buildings in Meridian often have several wet areas that dry at different rates. A roof leak in the attic, a wet wall and a wet floor each need their own readings and their own set-up, all run on one drying plan.
Drying equipment in a Meridian home or business is set with the power and the wet areas in mind. The crew checks the electrical circuits before running the equipment and keeps cords off wet floors.
Need structural drying and dehumidification today?
Call any hour and explain what is going on. You get a clear price before any work starts.
Where we work
Structural Drying and Dehumidification across Lauderdale County
- Structural Drying in Meridian
- Structural Drying in Marion
- Structural Drying in Bailey
- Structural Drying in Daleville
- Structural Drying in Toomsuba
- Structural Drying in Lauderdale
- Structural Drying in Collinsville
- Structural Drying in Chunky
- Structural Drying in Porterville
- Structural Drying in Stonewall
- Structural Drying in Little Rock
- Structural Drying in Enterprise
- Structural Drying in Hickory
- Structural Drying in De Kalb
- Structural Drying in Quitman
- Structural Drying in Decatur
- Structural Drying in Rose Hill
- Structural Drying in Pachuta
- Structural Drying in Union
- Structural Drying in Newton
- Structural Drying in Scooba
- Structural Drying in Shubuta
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Related
Related services
Mold After Water Damage
Drying wet materials to readings after water damage, and what mold work involves in Meridian.
Hardwood and Carpet Drying
Lifting and drying wet hardwood and carpet from underneath after storm or pipe water in Meridian.
Ceiling and Drywall Water Damage
Opening and drying wet ceilings and drywall, and replacing soaked insulation, in Meridian.
Crawl Space Moisture After Rain
Removing standing water and drying joists and subfloor in a crawl space after heavy rain in Meridian.
Guides
Read before you book
What Moves the Cost of Water Damage Restoration in Meridian
A water damage quote in Meridian depends on how much water got in, how long it stayed, which materials it soaked, how hard the building is to reach and how long the drying takes.
Heavy Rain and Flash Flood Cleanup: Steps From Extraction to Drying
Heavy rain and flash flooding in Meridian can put water through doors, low walls, crawl spaces and drains faster than it can drain away.
Mold Rules for Mississippi Homes After Water Damage
Mold after water damage starts where moisture stays in building materials.
Drying Floors and Walls in Humid Air: What the Equipment Has to Achieve
Drying floors and walls in humid Mississippi air is slower than in a dry climate, because the air already holds moisture and cannot take much more from the materials.
Hiring a Water Damage Company in Mississippi: What to Ask and Get in Writing
Before a water damage crew starts in Mississippi, ask who will do the work, what the scope and price include, what readings will show the job is finished and which registrations apply to the work.
FAQ
Structural Drying and Dehumidification FAQs
Why does the crew leave the equipment running for days?
Drying moves moisture out slowly, and materials such as subfloor and framing hold water for a long time. The equipment is left running until the readings show the materials are dry. Stopping early can leave moisture behind to cause later damage.
Is the noise from the equipment a problem?
Dehumidifiers and air movers run loudly, and they run continuously during drying. Tell the technician if anyone in the house works nights or needs quiet. The placement can sometimes be adjusted to reduce the noise in the rooms you use.
Can I turn the equipment off at night?
Ask the technician before you do. Turning equipment off can let the moisture build back up. Some setups are designed to run through the night, and the crew will tell you what it needs.
How do I know the drying is working?
Look at the readings the technician gives you. A falling trend in the readings shows that the drying is working. A reading that stays the same for several checks means the setup needs to change, and the crew should tell you when that happens.
Will the drying stop mold?
Drying removes the moisture that mold needs, which is the most important step in limiting growth. It does not test for mold or remove growth that is already there. Ask the technician what the drying covers and what needs separate work.
Can the drying be done in a room with the furniture still in it?
Often, yes, with furniture moved away from the walls so air can reach them. Items that hold water, such as cushions and rugs, may need to be removed from the room. The technician will tell you what to move and what can stay.