CASE STUDY/REFERENCE
Hurricane Damage
Flood
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Reverend Gilbert Cook & Mrs. Mary Cook Sea Level, North Carolina
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This residence was affected by category 3 flood water (Black Water) during hurricane Isabel. The flood waters rose to an elevation approximately 14” above the finished floor.
POST FLOOD CONDITIONS
ET first examined this structure on or about September 27. The floor, sub floor and lower structural framing material had been exposed to the original flood waters for about three hours and had remained wet for two weeks before drying activities began on October 13.
Using the Protimeter Moisture Measurement System and the Protimeter Hammer Electrode we determined the following.
1) Interior walls contain abnormally high moisture levels up to approximately 11” above the finished floor elevation.
2) The sub floor in various areas had a measured moisture content ranging from 18% to 86%.
3) The base plates had a measured moisture content ranging from 18% to 47%.
4) The crawlspace floor joists had a measured moisture content of 76%.
The work followed the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification S 500 Procedural Standard. This standard of dryness meets the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Guideline for Re-Occupancy of Flooded Buildings.
The work consisted of:
Ø Installing a vapor barrier in the crawlspace consisting of 6 mil poly to avoid the extra load on the equipment of drying the ground.
Ø Treating the foundation walls, floor joists, sub floor, base plates and exposed wall cavities with an anti-microbial agent.
Ø Four refrigerant type dehumidifiers and twelve high volume air movers (2000 CFM) were used during interior drying activities.
Ø In the crawlspace we used one 85,000 BTU portable furnace producing 165 degree 3% relative humidity air at the rate of 1200 cubic feet per minute in conjunction with two high volume air movers (2000 CFM) and one 1250 CFM air mover functioning as an exhaust unit to prevent pressurizing the crawlspace.
All building materials were returned to a dryness condition as good as or better than before the flood on September 18.
Using the Protimeter Moisture Measurement System and the Protimeter Hammer Electrode we determined the following.
The moisture content of various building materials were measured at acceptable levels and drying activities concluded on October 27. The vast majority of materials reached acceptable moisture levels within 10 to 14 days. However, small areas of the sub floor measuring one square foot or less and base plate runs measuring two linear feet or less remained above acceptable levels for the full 15 day duration of the project.
SPECIFIC CONDITIONS BEFORE & AFTER DRYING ACTIVITIES