National Drying Support Service (NDSS) Case Study

National Drying Support Service (NDSS) Gets Building Re-Opened 2 Days After Extensive Flood

Background:

The purpose of the National Drying Support Service (NDSS) is to  reduce the cost and time of insurance claims by tackling intricate building drying challenges, extensive building drying projects and High Net Worth properties without the need for interior demolition.

Building drying can be carried out on flood damaged properties faster than ever before using the new Wet2Dry super dehumidifiers, taking building drying times down to days rather than weeks or even months it can take using traditional building drying methods. The Wet2Dry system avoids the need for interior demolition, is less disruptive for the property owner and reduces building drying insurance claims.

Situation Analysis:

The National Drying Support Service (NDSS) was asked to carry out building drying to a large architect designed timber building that had suffered extensive flood damage. The property had been built below the water table and had two large pumps that continually remove the water from below the building. Unfortunately one of the pumps failed and the building flooded with two inches of contaminated or ‘black’ water. The flooding left a wet concrete floor, wooden skirting boards and plasterboard walls.

Considerations:

Contaminated Water

The flood water is extremely unsanitary, containing vast quantities of micro-organisms and other contaminants. Health and safety procedures need to be followed for people working in the building, 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 response vehicle were sent to site immediately.
• A risk assessment and survey were carried out.
• Damage limitation work was carried out to prevent any secondary damage occurring, including 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 building was thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated.
• After cleaning had been carried out, 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 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.
• The large building needed to be re-opened to the public as soon as possible so the National Drying Support Service (NDSS) installed a Wet2Dry rapid dehumidifier. These trailers produce 8000 cubic metres per hour of very low humidity air that causes rapid building drying.
• The National Drying Support Service (NDSS) super dehumidifier was installed on 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.

Results:

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

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