Source: Cotes
Flooding is one of the most common types of extreme weather we face in the UK. While we lack the typhoons and tidal waves some other countries face, our increasingly heavy rainfall and large swaths of low lying land means flooding and water damage are becoming more frequent and of greater concern.
Dehumidification is key to recovering from major flood or water damage in buildings. By drawing water vapour directly from the air, dehumidification slows the onset mold growth through the process and prevents deterioration of common building materials such as plaster, wood, insulation and carpeting.
How likely is flooding in the UK?
The UK government have recently launched it’s ‘Check for Flooding’ service, while The Flood Hub, an initiative to support and prevent flood damage in the North west of England, predicts as many as 1 in 6 buildings are at risk of flooding, with more susceptible.
Are floods caused by climate change?
To say storms are becoming more frequent in the UK is difficult without solid data. Until there are thorough studies into the topic, a cause and effect relationship is difficult to prove.
What we can trace is the relationship between heavier rainfall and temperature. It comes back to humidity. As air temperature increases, so too does amount of water vapour held in the air. Increased water vapour results in larger amounts of rainfall.
What kind of flood damage can occur?
Flooding generally causes water damage, which can affect a building in multiple ways.
- Walls, floors, doors and windows can become permeated with water, reducing the structural integrity of the materials. In more extreme cases, these structures may warp, crack or cause roof sagging.
- Plumbing systems can be placed under enormous pressure, causing cracked pipes and backed up systems.
- Appliances and electricals can be ruined due to surface water and leakage through walls.
- Health conditions and the immuno-compromised can be in serious risk due from water-borne illnesses carried in the floodwater, or that flourish in the wet conditions.
- Furniture and personal belongings can be damaged or destroyed
- Erosion may occur outside causing damage to the foundations of a building and the integrity of the whole structure.
- Damage to property value can occur as a result of water-logging, warping and permanent damage.
How do I fix water damage in a building?
When flood or water damage occurs, time is of the essence. The longer water remains saturated in materials and items, the greater and more permanent an effect it can have.
Dehumidification is vital to fast and effective recovery from water damage. Other processes can help, such as removing water-logged materials or replacing saturated fabrics. By removing water from the air itself, we harness a host of natural processes and support heating efforts to help dry out the affected areas.
What kind of dehumidifier do I need?
Dehumidifiers tend to come in two different technology types: refrigerant and desiccant. Due to the colder conditions the unit is likely to be operating in, we would advise using a desiccant dehumidifier, which is less reliant on room temperature and so can be run consistently, in any room including conservatories and garages and independently from a heater.
What is the ideal humidity level to fix water damage?
This will vary from building to building. In humidity control we refer to this target humidity level as the set point. The best way to discover what your humidity set point should be is to measure the relative humidity in a different, unaffected, room of the same building and use that as your unit’s set point. If this isn’t possible, or the damage is too widespread, a set point between 30% and 50% is advised with a 24-48 hour run cycle. If possible, the set point should be 10% lower than it’s pre-damaged level.
Should I leave windows and doors open or closed?
Windows and external doors should be closed- While running a dehumidifier, the aim is to extract moisture from the environment through the air. This relies on as close to a closed environment as possible. Allowing untreated air to enter the environment limits the effectiveness of the dehumidification unit.
Internal doors may be open- Air flow can be used to support other methods of drying, so long as the air moving is already present in the environment. If only a single room is affected, consider closing all windows and doors, and installing a fan to create an air current and increased ventilation.
If multiple rooms have been affected, consider opening doors between the affected areas only. Good ventilation and movement of treated air between affected rooms promotes faster drying and faster resolution.
Should I start fixing water damage right away?
Should flooding or water damage occur, the natural instinct is to fix things right away and get life back to normal as soon as possible. We would recommend speaking to your insurance provider as soon as possible, as they may cover a specialist or professional on site which can help speed the process and provide more specific advice.
What units are best for treating flood damage?
Source: Cotes
At Humidity Solutions we stock a range of humidity control units to cover commercial and industrial use. In this instance, we could recommend the Cotes Mobile Dehumidifier Series, depending on the scale of the application. The CR80B, CR240, CR290B and CR400B can cover moisture removal loads from 0.44 kg/h up to 1.4 kg/h while still being lightweight, robust and compact.
Our supplier Cotes A/S, has recently released the CL26, an adsorption/desiccant dehumidifier designed to dry out spaces between 100-150m3, with a patented window kit to allow the effective removal of wet reactivation air. The cabinet of partially recycled plastic and keen eye on energy consumption marks the model as an adaptable, carbon conscious and robust unit capable of quickly meeting most water damage repair needs.
For more information on the Cotes Modular Series, or for more call us on 01372 571200, or email info@humidiitysolutions.co.uk
Further reading:
Cotes, How to Choose the Best Dehumidification Strategy for Water Damage Restoration: A Complete Guide
IICRC S500, Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration
PAS 64: Mitigation and recovery of water damaged buildings
ISO 13788- Hygrothermal performance of building components and building elements — Internal surface temperature to avoid critical surface humidity and interstitial condensation — Calculation methods
