• Crawl Space
  Repair
• Water
  Damage
• Fire/Smoke
  Damage
• Environmental
  Cleanup
• Rebuilding &
  Remodeling

Water Damage Inspection Equipment

The first step you should take when a water loss occurs within your home is to have Dayspring Restoration perform an in-depth inspection to determine the scope of the damage.

The presence of moisture within a home or building can have serious consequences. Unidentified moisture means untreated moisture, and untreated moisture can lead to structural deterioration, mold growth, and the proliferation of other harmful microorganisms.

The ability for building materials like drywall and wood to absorb and hold moisture make it necessary to thoroughly examine the extent of the moisture within all the materials surrounding the source of the water damage. Dayspring Restoration’s IICRC certified technicians use specialized tools to assess and discover the amount of moisture within the affected structure. This is the most critical aspect within the water damage process, and it requires the right equipment and an understanding of building materials and how to effectively dry them.

To correctly identify the extent of water damage, Dayspring Restoration utilizes the follow inspection equipment.

Thermal Imaging Cameras

Thermography, also known as thermal imaging, is an incredible tool when trying to quickly and accurately identify wet spots within water damaged homes or buildings.

Thermal imaging works by capturing two-dimensional real time images of the subject materials surface temperatures. Since water conducts and stores heat better than most building materials these “thermal” images can quickly reveal areas that would not appear wet to the unaided eye.

Moisture Probes

Water Damage Restoration technicians use moisture probes to determine the size of area that water has spread through. The probe allows the technician to "see" if carpet padding is wet, even when it is covered by dry carpet.

Moisture probes are fairly simple battery powered devices. The probe has two very sharp prongs that stick through the carpet to the pad and sub-floor. When the prongs are surrounded by a wet material a circuit is completed and creates a beeping sound in the moisture probe. Some units just make a sound; others indicate more moisture content by beeping more rapidly. The technician walks about the room carrying the sensor like a cane; sticking the prongs into the carpet. This gives the technician a fairly clear idea the extent of the spreading water. The probe does not damage the carpet in any way.

The moisture probe provides only limited information. It may tell you what is wet, but can't indicate how wet the material is. Moisture meters can tell how wet a material is by the percentage of water held in the host material.

The only way to be sure you are properly drying a structure after water damage is to monitor the drying process daily, and one of the key tools used during the daily monitoring process is a moisture meter. Even if you use the most advanced drying equipment available, you cannot be sure it is working effectively without the proper use of a moisture meter.

Moisture Meters

There are two types of moisture meters typically used in the restoration industry, invasive and non-invasive. Invasive moisture meters have small pins that are inserted into the water damaged material and utilize the principle of electrical resistance to accurately determine how wet the materials are.

Non-invasive moisture meters use radio frequency signals to penetrate the building material being tested. There is no pin intrusion into the surface of the material you are checking, and this non-invasive style meter allows our technicians to quickly identify wet areas in walls, ceilings, or on floors. Non-invasive meters allow for quick testing of large areas, as well as, help our technicians determine if further investigation is required.

It is important to check moisture levels in both water-damaged areas and areas that were not exposed to water. This enables the technicians to establish a dry standard or target moisture level to reach at the end of the drying process. Dayspring Restoration uses the meter on a daily basis while drying, to track the drying progress, and to ensure that the affected materials are returned to a dry standard before removing equipment. Without a moisture meter, you have no way of knowing that you have dried the structure properly to "pre-loss" conditions.

Thermo Hygrometers

Thermo Hygrometers are another important tool in the assessment of water damage scenarios. The thermal hygrometer is used to measure specific qualities of the air inside and outside the structure. These devices measure temperature and relative humidity. From that data they calculate dew point temperature, vapor pressure, and specific humidity. The measurement of these items is crucial in establishing baseline environmental conditions as well as monitoring the progress of the alteration of this environment to establish optimal environmental drying conditions

Remote Monitoring

The Remote Monitoring systems save time and money for our clients by providing constant moisture monitoring data that we can access from our office at any time. Remote monitors work by recording temperature and humidity data in real time. Dayspring Restoration utilizes this technology to track drying conditions within the affected areas as well as the performance and effectiveness of the drying equipment being used. The remote monitoring system can also notify your Dayspring technician by email or text message if any problems have occurred in the drying environment, like having a homeowner turn off the dehumidifier mid-job, a dehumidifier working improperly, or the tripping of an electrical breaker.

Professional Water Damage Restoration in Missoula

Dayspring restoration is available 24/7 to advise you on what you need to do to restore a water-damaged home. Our experts work throughout Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman, Havre, Kalispell, Helena, Butte, Hamilton, Belgrade, Livingston, and we're standing by to help you.

For a free water restoration quote in MT, call or e-mail Dayspring Restoration today!