Water & Fire damage restoration
serving Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa
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Water Damage Restoration
Nature of Water Damage
Water damage can be as (or more) destructive and insidious than
fire and smoke damage. While it often leaves less visible reminders
of its occurrence than fire and smoke, water damage occurs more frequently
and the damage keeps getting progressively worse until corrective
action is taken.
Damage from water is often characterized in two
categories: PRIMARY damage and SECONDARY damage. Water is known as
the "universal solvent" because more substances and materials are
dissolved by water than by any other liquid.
- When water in liquid
form dissolves a material or causes damage, this is commonly referred
to as "Primary Water Damage". A gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds.
In volume a cubic foot of water = 7.48 gallons. Water in vapor form
is also destructive.
- The damage caused by water vapor is known as
"Secondary Water Damage", such as wooden cabinets, documents, fine
arts, etc. which absorb water and vapor and swell. Secondary water
damage is migratory, and can extend far beyond the areas of water
intrusion. If corrective action is not taken, within 48-72 hours
in most situations, irreversible damage can occurs which can raise
the restoration ante substantially.
Source and Category of the Water
Category Type I - "Clean" Water - a "clean" or potable water source
is one that does not pose substantial harm to humans. Broken water
supply lines, tub or sink overflows with no contaminates, melting
ice or snow, and falling rainwater.
Category Type II - "Gray" Water - Potentially contains some degree
of contamination that may cause sickness or discomfort if consumed
by humans. The term gray water is a classification term only and
may not refer to the color of the water. Includes buy not limited
to: discharges from dishwashers and washing machines, toilet overflows
with urine (no feces), broken aquariums, and punctured water bed
mattresses. This type of water may contain algaecides and bio-contaminates
(fungal, bacterial, viral, algae). Time and temperature accelerate
the bio activity of "gray" water significantly. Flooded "gray" water
in structures that remains untreated for longer than 48 hours may
change from a "gray" water condition to a "black" water condition.
Category Type III - "Black" Water - may contain pathogenic agents
(capable of causing disease), which can adversely affect occupant
health and workers. Includes all flooding from sea water, rising
water from rivers and streams, ground surface water, and toilet back
flows that originate from beyond the toilet trap. "Black" water may
contain fecal contamination, pesticides, heavy metals, radioactive
materials, or other organic substances. The term black water is a
classification term only and may not refer to the color of the water.
Time Related Factors
Water damage is like a stop watch, once started, time quickly elapses.
The longer the restoration efforts take to remediate the water damage
condition, the greater potential loss.
Structure
-
Hardwood swelling and warping - All wood is hygroscopic. This
means it will take on moisture and release moisture depending on
its surroundings. When the material takes on moisture, it will
expand. When it releases moisture it will shrink.
-
Tile floors - Ceramic, marble, and vinyl tile floors can be
wet, however consideration must be made immediately regarding
the type of water and exposure time.
-
Floating floor systems 0 Do not fare well in flood situations.
Water becomes trapped below the floor system in the underlayment
that is comprised of foam and plastics.
-
Drywall/sheetrock - Loses its dimensional stability when wet.
Sheetrock ceiling are affected much more than sheetrock walls.
-
Plaster - Wet plaster although a durable cementitious building
material drying it following water damage can be challenging and
time consuming. Wet plaster with layers of paint requires an aggressive
and immediate drying plan, such as perforating paint layers and
drilling ventilation holes.
-
Painted surfaces - Any layer of paint is considered a moisture
barrier. The greater the numbers of paint layers, the thicker the
moisture barrier.
-
Paper/Vinyl wall coverings - Detaches from sheetrock or plaster
surface and provides a breeding ground for microorganisms between
the wall surface and the back of the covering.
-
Custom molding and trim - Swells and warps. Some finishes may
become damaged while in contact with water. The presence of molding
and trim acts as a moisture retarding barrier and slows down drying
of stud bay cavities and wet building assemblies.
-
Insulation - Cellulose insulation, which becomes damp or wet,
will lose its flame resistive and antimicrobial properties. Fiberglass
and styrofoam insulations are salvageable most of the time. All
must be inspected for mold damage.
-
Corrosion - Depending upon the type of metal, corrosion may
be unavoidable.
Contents
-
Stains and watermarks - Most wood furniture is stained as part
of the finishing process. When wetted with water, this stain may
become water-soluble and transfer to finish materials and in most
cases, the stain transfer will be permanent.
-
Swelling - The amount of moisture a given piece of finished wood
takes on and the speed at which it absorbs moisture depends on
many factors. The effect of extreme humidity on hardwood furniture
may cause swelling as the moisture content increases.
-
Corrosion - Most contents with metallic hinges, handles, etc.
are not designed to withstand high humidity conditions.
-
Rugs - Depending on their construction, high value area rugs
that are saturated with water may or may not respond well to being
wet then dried. Some carpets contain dyes that migrate when wet
into lighter colored areas.
-
Books/Paper Documents - Books and papers that are saturated with
clean water and discovered within 24 hours should be frozen or
dried within 48 hours. Paper is highly vulnerable to water damage
and microbial growth.
-
Miscellaneous - Most water loss situations regardless of the
category can be processed quickly.
Carpet Damage
The most accessible inspection point is generally a corner. When
tackless stripping is wet for an extended period of time the tacks
will show visible signs of rust. Moisture damage to tackless strips
is very obvious by the rust deposits and darkened appearance of
the wood laminate used as the tackless strip body.
Padding/Carpet Cushion
Probably the most frequently asked question on a water damage job
with wall to wall carpet installation is: "Should we save or replace
the carpet padding?"
If the padding is horsehair, jute or composition types consisting
of any natural fibers, consider replacement for the following reasons:
-
Natural fibers become dimensionally and structurally unstable
when wet.
-
Natural fibers frequently contain dyes which when wet are released
into face fibers.
-
Natural fibers require extended drying time and are non-cost
effective.
-
Natural wet padding fibers can support feeding grounds for bacteria,
mold and mildew.
If the padding is of a synthetic composition or of blends of natural
and synthetic foam, it is salvageable much of the time.
Synthetic pads are found in a wide variety of shapes, weights, thickness,
and costs. They are all fundamentally made of foam, sponge rubber
or polyurethane material ranging from highly porous to highly nonporous.
Ceiling and Wall Assemblies
Unless there was a high water situation or the water damage was
left untreated for a significant amount of time, the drywall, base
molding and tackless strip are usually salvageable. Blowing air into
wall cavities primarily help dry them by increasing the rate of evaporation.
When blown-type insulation becomes wet it has a tendency to lose
its "R" value. Insulation comes in a variety of forms. Fiberglass,
polystyrene, rock wool, and recycled shredded newspaper. The form
as to which the insulation is presented to the structure has a strong
influence upon the salvage odds. Synthetic materials subjected to
wet secondary moisture will dry in clean water situations. Fiberglass
insulation is available with and without a vapor barrier facing.
Fiberglass insulation with a vapor barrier may retard or prevent
rapid drying within building assemblies.
Unless there was a high water situation or the water damage was
left untreated for a significant amount of time, sheetrock, exposed
to clean water, is often salvageable.
Sheetrock is a sturdy building material made of gypsum and paper.
Sheetrock is one structural material that becomes more fragile when
wet, and more stable as it dries. Vertically installed sheetrock
is affected by water differently than that of overhead horizontal
types. Sheetrock installed at ceiling areas are more vulnerable to
water pools and sagging.
Hardwoods/Softwoods
Water and wood is a troublesome combination. The amount of moisture
a given piece of wood takes on and the speed which it absorbs moisture
depends on many factors:
If the carpet installation has been made over a hardwood surface
such as strips, planks or parquet, and the water has been there a
while you may encounter buckled and warped flooring. In this case,
removal of the carpet and pad is required to provide access for complete
inspection and repair replacement of affected hardwood areas. Fungal
damage may occur in some wood materials when the moisture content
exceeds 20%.
Plywood sub-floors are generally resistant to water damage because
of the manner in which it is constructed, the nature of the materials
from which it is constructed of and the types of adhesive used. Particle
board used as both structural components and furniture irreversibly
swells when exposed to moisture and often requires removal and replacement.
If the carpet installation has been made over a hardwood surface,
planks, strips or parquet, and the water has been exposed to them
for an extended time, you may encounter warped or cupped conditions.
Generally, hygroscopic materials change physically as they absorb
water by swelling. Hardwood furniture in an extremely humid building
for example, may swell as the moisture content increases.
Cupping and Crowning
"Cupping and crowning" are common conditions resulting from water
damage. Both problems occur across the width of the flooring material.
Cupping is when the edges of a board are high and the center is lower.
It can occur after water spills onto the floor and is absorbed by
the wood, but high humidity is more often the cause.
If the floor is sanded before the boards have had a chance to thoroughly
dray and flatten out on their own, the top surface will initially
be flat, while the bottoms of the board remain cupped. Crowning occurs
when the bottoms of the boards eventually dry and flatten out, leaving
the top of the boards with a convex profile.
Laminate and Vinyl Floors
When a quantity of moisture seeps underneath melamine laminated
wood flooring material the floor should be replaced due to the nature
of construction. Swollen particle board under a vinyl floor normally
should be replaced with new sub-flooring material.
Concrete Floors
When flooded with water, concrete floors can increase in moisture
content. Concrete floors expand and contract with temperature changes,
not changes in moisture content.
Vinyl Wall Covering
Vinyl acts as a moisture barrier and will prevent the evaporation
of moisture from the base wall material. Furthermore wall covering
adhesive is made from wheat and is very vulnerable to mold. Moisture
barriers can be helpful and harmful in wet climates. Moisture evaporating
within the structure can migrate silently and invisibly. Moisture
as a vapor can only be detected by sensitive moisture metering devices.
Vapor barriers play an important role in drying structures internally.
A vapor retarding material like vinyl wall covering is considered
a non-permeable wall surface membrane. Vapor retarding materials
can be used as a positive means to protect homes from outdoor atmospheric
moisture.
Mold Potential in Wall Cavities
Interior wall cavities offer an ideal area for growth of mold and
mildew. Mold spores inside the wall cavity are a fungal time-bomb
ready to explode. The interior of the wall cavity is dark and lacks
air circulation. The cavity also contains abundant food sources in
the form of wood and cardboard coating on drywall. Moisture from
the water loss, and comfortable temperature fulfill the basic requirements
for mildew and mold growth.
Spores are often very tiny. A period in this text is about 100 microns
in diameter. Wet drywall may become covered with millions of spores
per square inc in only a week or two if conditions are optimal. Common
molds, such as Penicillium and Aspergillus species make spores that
are less than 5 microns in diameter. Particles this small may take
an hour to fall one meter. Moldy material will emit spores on an
irregular basis. Thriving mold colonies also generate odors, but
a space can be full of spores, yet have no discernible moldy smell.
On the other hand, musty odors do not necessarily indicate heaving
concentration of spores.
Once established, mold colonies can be very durable. When conditions
for growth become less than optimal, the colony will produce a last
crop of spores, then go dormant. This period of dormancy can last
for years. When optimal moisture and temperature conditions return,
the colony can come out of dormancy and begin to amplify. The growth
period will last as long as food, moisture and warmth are present.
Most residual odor problems after water damage situations are related
to incomplete drying.
How Wet for How Long?
Water Damage Health Considerations
-
Legionnaire's disease
-
Fecal strep
-
Salmonella
-
Gastrointestinal diseases
-
Aspergillosis
-
System fungal infections
Microbiology
Introduction To Microbiology
Indoor and outdoor environments naturally harbor a great variety
of microscopic life forms termed microorganisms or microbes. These
microbes are found everywhere in nature and are primarily bacteria
and fungi (yeast and molds) that are introduced into the indoor environment
from outdoors or from materials brought indoors. Once indoors, these
biological agents interact with the inanimate environment by setting
in or on a variety of surfaces or materials as dusts. These collecting
places or reservoirs include carpet, upholstered furniture, wood,
and carious painted surfaces such as walls, ceilings, and window
sills, as well as many common yet controlled damp areas such as shower
curtains, cabinet areas located under sinks, and air conditioning
components.
If conditions are such that moisture is limited, then these microbes
have a stable relationship or ecology with the built environment.
However, when moisture accumulated more rapidly than the natural
drying process, such as with chronic plumbing leaks or sudden flooding
from rainwater or sewage backflow, the ecology changes and favors
the rapid reproduction or amplification of bacteria and fungi that
can have a detrimental effect upon human health and materials. If
water evaporates too quickly into warm interior air without a corresponding
humidity reduction, the result can damage hygroscopic materials,
reduce the rate of drying and increase the potential for fungal growth.
If a water damaged environment is not promptly and properly restored,
many environmental microbes, such as odor causing (e.g. Actinimycetes),
and fungi (e.g. Aspergilus and Penicilium molds) will colonize, grow,
and amplify on building materials, eventually contaminating the indoor
air and creating health risks for those who live and/or work here.
Water Activity And Microorganisms
Microorganisms can grow in moisture films on a variety of surfaces
and within porous materials. The amount of free water available to
them for growth on a substrate such as wall board, carpet, ceiling
tile, etc., is described as water activity. A reading of 80% RH taken
at the surface would equate to a water activity of 0.8.
Most bacteria have a >0.95 water activity minimum requirement
for growth and many molds a minimum requirement of water activity
of >0.88. However, most molds that appear in the early stages
of the water damaged environment require a water activity of 0.66-
0.70 to grow. These dry tolerant (or xerophilic) molds include species
of Penicillium and Aspergillus that may produce potential allergens
and toxic substances. Very wet environments, particularly those with
cellulose-based materials (such as wallpaper, drywall, books, cardboard),
favor the growth of molds such as Stachybotrys, Ulocladium, and Chaetomium.
In addition to visible bacterial or fungal growth and detection
of moisture in porous materials, an obvious indicator of microbial
growth and contamination is a “musty”, “moldy”, or “mildewy” odor.
Bacteria and fungi produce a variety of volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) during active growth. The microbial volatile organic compounds
(MVOCs) we detect through our olfactory senses are generated by many
molds, and also actinomycetes bacteria, such as Streptomyces and
related organisms.
Bacteria
Bacteria are one-celled microorganisms that lack the green pigment
chlorophyll. Four hundred million (400,000,000) of these cells are
the same size as a single grain of granulated sugar. Bacteria reproduce
by dividing in half (fission) to produce two identical cells. Under
ideal conditions, bacteria can reproduce every 15-30 minutes, one
bacterium could become 70 billion bacteria in only 12 hours.
Some bacteria produce poisonous substances (toxins) that can cause
disease, such as lockjaw, or food poisoning in humans. Other bacteria
produce enzymes that can dissolve or destroy living cells or commercial
goods, foul surfaces that we contact daily, contaminate equipment
and foodstuffs.
Bacteria are classified into two general groups based upon a laboratory
technique called gram staining.
Those bacteria that accept violet stains are classified as: Gram
Positive. Examples of these are (Staphylococcus aureus) which causes
acne, and (Clostridium tetani) which causes tetanus.
Those bacteria which do not accept the violet stain but accept a
counter stain are classified as: Gram Negative. Examples of these
are (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) which breaks down and contaminates both
living and non living matter, (Salmonella typhosa) which causes typhus
and (Escherichia coli) a bacteria normally present in the human fecal
matter which causes diarrhea.
In addition to their staining characteristics, bacteria may be classified
by their shape of form. All the thousands of species of bacteria
fall into three categories:
Spherical (round) – cells are called COCCI
Rod-shaped – some
of the rod-shaped bacteria form a spore within a cell. The spore
may develop later into a new cell. Spores are extremely resistant
to heat, chemicals, and drying while the cells which form spores
are no more resistant to those conditions than other bacteria.
While some spores can withstand boiling for days, vegetative
spores may be killed in minutes. Not all bacteria produce spores,
some bacteria reproduce only by fission. Spiral (screw shaped) – this
group includes some bacteria which are enclosed in capsule which
may protect them from antimicrobial agents.
Fungi
Fungi are a large group of non-green plants that live by feeding
on either living or dead organisms. Microorganisms that derive their
nourishment primarily from decaying organic materials are considered
to be saprophytic. Fungi cannot make their own food because they
lack the green plan pigment, chlorophyll. Some fungi such as yeast
occur as single cells that require a microscope to see. Others, such
as a mushroom are large. Over 100,000 species of fungi have been
identified. Fungi and bacteria often live together in wet environments
and in nature.
Many fungi are useful. They are necessary in the making of bread,
wine, cheese and beer. Mushrooms are used as a food source. Other
fungi are troublesome causing decay and mildew. Fungi will grow on
a wide variety of both natural and synthetic substances.
Molds are not plants or animals. They belong to the kingdom of Fungi.
Molds digest their surrounding environment. They secrete digestive
agents called “enzymes”, which break down the environment into digestive
pieces, which are reabsorbed. Molds cannot feed on dry material;
they require water in order to be chemically active. The more the
mold eats, the more it grows. Mold colonies can only thrive on damp
materials but can however extend short distances through dry materials
probing for moisture and food sources.
Mold growth is slow at first, starting from a single spore or clump
of spores. As the colony grows, it extends fine feeding tubes called
hyphae into its food source. These tiny hairlike shapes can penetrate
apparently solid material. Such as cement and gypsum board core.
The interconnected mass of hyphae is called the mycelium. When the
colony is mature, it begins producing spores, which can then spread,
by air movement or mechanical disturbance. Wet drywall/sheetrock
may become covered with millions of spores per square inch in only
a week or two if damp conditions persist. The best way to reduce
or retard their growth after being subjected to water damage is to
ensure that all materials are dried rapidly. To speed up structural
drying, gypsum board (drywall) ceilings that are completely saturated
and sagging should be removed and discarded.
Fungi reproduce by several methods. Some reproduce from cellular
fragments of the organisms. Others produce spores, which function
like seeds of more sophisticated plants.
The spores of fungi are not as resistant to chemicals, heat or dying
as the spores of bacteria. Once established, mold colonies can thrive
or go dormant depending upon food, moisture and warmth. Colony dormancy
can last for years.
Fungi cause disease in humans. Coccidiosis and histoplasmosis are
fungal diseases caused by inhaled spores that infect the lungs and
other internal organs. Athletes' foot and ringworm are infections
of the skin and nails caused by fungi. The chemical compounds released
by molds in order to protect themselves from other microorganisms
are known as mycotoxins.
Algae
Algae are similar to the fungi, except they contain chlorophyll
and other pigments. Algae range in size from singular celled microscopic
organisms to 200 feet long seaweed. Algae live in fresh water, saltwater
and on land. Algae are classified by color: blue-green, brown, red
and green.
Algae may appear on water as patches of green referred to as “pond
scum”. On trunks of trees or on soil they appear green or blue. At
the seashore green, red, and brown seaweed may be found. Algae are
the basis of the food chain which makes aquatic life possible. Algae
is useful as human food and has industrial uses. In many cases algae
is troublesome. For example, the may:
-Impart disagreeable taste or odor to drinking water
-Cause bathers to itch, poison fish
-Clog water filtering equipment and cooling towers
-Interfere with pulp mill operations
-Foul underwater structures
When water temperature and nutrients reach favorable level, certain
algae multiply rapidly. “Algae bloom or pond scum” may seriously
effect other aquatic life and water quality. Large accumulations
of algae in shallow fish ponds and lakes deplete the oxygen and causes
fish kills. Unlike bacteria, viruses, and fungi, algae have little
direct medical importance to man.
Slime
Slimes are combinations of fungi, bacteria, algae, and other organisms.
Slimes can be troublesome in any water systems, including industrial
water cooling towers and in paper mill wet end systems, drip/condensate
pans, etc.
Viruses
Viruses are parasites which only live and reproduce inside the cells
of an living host. Viruses are 1,000 times smaller than bacteria,
and may be viewed only with and electron microscope. Viruses enter
living plant or animal cells and reproduce within that cell, often
destroying the host cell. Viruses must continually enter new cells
to survive. Viruses have no mechanism for transportation. Viruses
depend on the air, water, insects, animals or humans to carry them
from one host to another. Some viruses may survive away from the
host for many hours or days, when in a nutrient laden environment
such as blood, dead skin tissue, and body wastes.
Some of the diseases caused by viruses are smallpox, influenza,
rabies, measles, mumps, polio, hepatitis, H.I.V. (AIDS) and common
cold. Parvo, canine distemper, and foot and mouth disease are viral
diseases that affect animals. Viruses cause plant diseases affecting
such crops as tobacco, vegetables, fruits, and sugarcane.
Practical Use of Disinfectants/Antimicrobials in Water Damage Restoration
Hard and Soft Surfaces
The materials which get wet in a water damage situation generally
fall into two categories: hard and soft surfaces.
Soft surfaces would be carpet, drapes, upholstered furniture, bedding,
etc. Although hard to the touch , sheetrock is a hard porous surface,
able to wick contaminated water into itself rendering it very difficult
to disinfect. Some wooden building assemblies fall in this category
as well. In situations where these materials come in contact with
Category III water, removal and replacement is highly recommended.
It is the opinion of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that
due to the density and porosity of soft surfaces, it is difficult
if not impossible to disinfect them. The highest level of product
certification the EPA is willing to grant on product utilized for
antimicrobial treatments to soft surfaces is bacteriostat or santizer.
Bacteriostat is a chemical agent that prevents or inhibits the growth
of bacteria but does not necessarily kill them. A sanitizer lowers
microbial counts to safe levels.
Conversely, surfaces such as cement, metals, plastic, etc. Would
be considered hard surfaces. The floors, walls, fixtures in a typical
washroom would be considered hard surfaces.
Biocides
Most biocides in the United States are regulated by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). A government registration number is assigned
to each product. This number is confirmation that the product has
been tested and evaluated for efficacy and safety exactly as the
manufacture makes claims to. Furthermore, government laws regulate
the application of biocides.
The risks arising from violating these
laws or regulations may include adverse public health impact, personal
injury, property damage, customer fraud, and exposure to civil penalties
and criminal prosecution. Some governmental agencies may require
applicators of biocides, particularly restricted use pesticides,
to obtain licenses or applicator certification. |
