National Drying Support Service (NDSS) Gets Large Building Open 2 Days After Extensive Flooding

Background:

The purpose of the National Drying Support Service (NDSS) is to actively reduce claims costs and life cycles by tackling complex building drying challenges, large building drying projects and High Net Worth properties without the need for interior demolition.

Buildings that have suffered flood damage can be dried out faster than ever before using the new Wet2Dry system, taking building drying times down to a matter of days rather than the weeks or even months it can take using traditional building drying techniques. The Wet2Dry system avoids the need for interior demolition, is less disruptive for the customer and reduces building drying claim costs.

Situation Analysis:

The National Drying Support Service (NDSS) was called in to carry out building drying to a large architect designed timber structure that had suffered flood damage. The building had been constructed below the water table in Cornwall and had two large pumps that continually pump out the water from below the building. Unfortunately one of the pumps failed resulting in the building flooding to a depth of 2 inches with contaminated or ‘black’ water. The building was left with a wet concrete floor, wooden skirting boards and plasterboard walls.

Considerations:

Contaminated Water:

The flood water is grossly unsanitary, containing large quantities of micro-organisms and other contaminants. Health and safety procedures need to be followed for people on the site, as well as decontamination and thorough cleanliness testing.

The building was closed to the public.

Implementation:

• A National Drying Support Service (NDSS) Technician and fully equipped rapid response vehicle were dispatched immediately.
• A risk assessment and survey were carried out.
• Damage limitation work was carried out and the priority was to prevent any secondary damage occurring. This included water extraction.
• Damage contents were triaged. The National Drying Support Service (NDSS) Technician examines the contents and categorises them as beyond economic restoration, restorable or unaffected.
• The area was thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated.
• After cleaning had been completed to a high standard, we tested for the presence for ATP, which is a component of living cells. If the level is low, we can tell that the surface has been thoroughly cleaned. It helps us refine our cleaning techniques and is very reassuring for the property owner. This test method is more accurate than protein swab testing.
• Building drying was required for the flood damaged concrete floor, wooden skirting boards and plasterboard walls.
• Given the size of the building and the fact that it needed to be re-opened to the public as soon as possible Richfords decided to install one of their National Drying Support Service (NDSS) Wet2Dry rapid dehumidifiers. These trailers produce 8000 cubic metres per hour of very low humidity air that causes rapid building drying.
• The National Drying Support Service (NDSS) trailer was towed to site and set up with the necessary ducting. The trailer runs 24 hours a day and the building needs to be unoccupied for the duration of the building drying process.
• After two days the moisture levels in the walls had significantly reduced. The trailer was turned off and the building allowed to cool.

Results:

The National Drying Support Service (NDSS) are able to use innovative technology such as the Wet2Dry rapid dehumidifiers. This allowed the building to be back in full use only two days after the flood damage occurred.