Page 6 - Risk Management Bulletin Jan- Mar 2022

RMAI BULLETIN JANUARY - MARCH 2022

During the restoration process, regulating the humid- process, it is important to understand the basics and
ity plays a very pivotal role as it amplifies the drying analyze the common factors which can lead to water
process of the damaged area. As wet and moist con- damage, and understand the categories of water to
ditions harbor a disastrous combination it becomes find viable solutions for the problem. Look for any
even more imperative to maintain relative humidity water line failures, leaks or freezing; any sprinkler sys-
within a very narrow range. Warm air has more capac- tem malfunction; construction defects or tub and sink
ity to hold moisture than cool air. A condition where overflows. Regularly monitor for any defective appli-
high temperature is coupled with low relative humid- ances and fixtures, sewer backflows, fire suspension
ity (RH) sets the stage for rapid evaporation of water. discharge, vandalism, and rainwater intrusion or flood-
But when reversed it shows a negligible impact on the ing.
evaporation process.
In the next step, it is very crucial to categorize the wa-
Things can even get worse if the relative humidity ter causing damage. Given to the inherent properties of
reaches its 100% capacity. It causes condensation for- the water, there are three types of water. Category 1,
mation on the surfaces which in turn can give rise to also known as Clean Water, Category 2 - Gray Water, and
problems of mold, corrosion, decay, and other mois- Category 3 - Black Water. By the name itself, clean wa-
ture-related deterioration. It is recommended to main- ter is less prone to trigger contamination. It poses sub-
tain the temperature at 72°F with RH between 50- stantially less health risks to humans.
55%. Lowering the RH further by less than 40% accel-
erates the evaporation process. But during the course It can either come from broken water supply lines,
of action, it is important to ensure that the tempera- contaminant-free tub or sink overflow, or rainwater.
ture of the damaged area is not raised. Inefficiency in handling the clean-up process within 24
to 48 hours can lead to water contamination and in-
Hence, dehumidification offers a more viable and ad- crease the risk of mold growth. As the water damage
vanced solution to the problem. It is highly efficient in is not extensive it can be dried by the maintenance
physically removing moisture from the air. Increasing staff without any further assistance.
the airflow has a huge impact on lowing the moisture
content (dehumidification) which further speeds up Gray water, on the other hand, contains a significant
the evaporation process. It reduces the risk of conden- amount of chemical, biological and physical contaminants
sation, deterioration of furniture and building material, like fungal, bacterial, and viral algae, etc. which necessi-
and eliminates the damp condition which can be a tates seeking professional help from qualified restoration
source of mold, mildew, cockroaches, or mites. companies as its exposure can cause discomfort or sick-
ness to humans. The major potential sources of gray
But before starting the Water Damage Restoration water can be dishwasher or washing machine discharge,
toilet bowls overflow containing some urine, slump pump
failures, hydrostatic pressure causing seepage, fire pro-
tection sprinkler water.

They provide a conducive environment for microorgan-
isms to thrive which can further be worsened with the
presence of moisture and warm temperature which
increases the risk of mold growth. Furthermore, if left
untreated for more than 48 hours it can inherently get
converted to black water with a higher risk on human
health.

Black water gives rise to the worst type of water dam-
age. It is grossly unsanitary and unhealthy containing

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