Hurricane Flood Damage
Hurricane Isabel brought flood waters to eastern North Carolina on September 18. Flooding from seawater is classified as Category 3 – “Black” water. Such water sources are grossly unsanitary and carry pathogenic agents, silt, pesticides, heavy metals or toxic organic substances including sewage. Category 3 water has the likelihood of causing discomfort or sickness if exposed to humans. The structures the Evans Team was involved with experienced Category 3 flooding to depths of 24” above the finished floor elevation.
The industry recognized standard for sanitizing and drying water damaged buildings and contents is the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, Inc. (IICRC) The IICRC has developed the S500 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Water Damage Restoration which is used in four countries: US, Australia, Canada and Great Britain. The IICRC S500 Procedural Standard is referenced by FEMA, EPA, and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists as the accepted method for sanitizing and drying water damaged buildings and contents.
Many city and county health departments are using and referring to the IICRC Water Damage Restoration Standard S500 as a guideline for their operations. This Standard of dryness meets the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Guideline for Re-Occupancy of Flooded Buildings which states, "A building should be considered unsafe for occupancy until: All building materials furnishings and HVAC system components have been dried so that they will not support fungal growth."
All Farmers Insurance Company adjusters nationwide are now required to take the IICRC Water Restoration Course and receive their certification.
Evans Team, LLC performed and documented analysis of the water damaged portions of many buildings damaged by hurricane Isabel flooding according to IICRC S500 Procedural Standard. The Evans Team member supervising the inspection and analysis is certified by the IICRC as a Water Damage Restoration Technician and Applied Structural Drying Technician. (IICRC Certification Number 67787)
During our analysis we used the Protimeter Measurement System and the Protimeter Hammer Electrode to determine specific moisture content of various building components such as floor joists, sub floor and wall studs.
Ø At 16% moisture content wood will support fungal growth
Ø At 20% moisture content wood will support rot.
Ø At 30% moisture content wood is considered saturated.
Ø Relative Humidity levels of 60% and above will support fungal growth.
Drying is considered complete when moisture content readings of wood materials are measured and documented to be within 4% of Equilibrium Moisture Content (Dry Standard) according to IICRC 500 Procedural Standard. Dry standard (Equilibrium Moisture Content) in a specific area is determined by testing framing components that were unaffected by the flood.
The damage caused by hurricane Isabel was uniform throughout the coastal area of North Carolina. It consisted of building materials that were saturated up to the elevation the flood water rose to in a given structure. It was necessary to return these building materials to dry standard before final repairs could be made to prevent the deterioration of these materials, the growth of fungus and rot and the development of an environment which would be harmful to the health of the inhabitants.
The work consisted of:
Ø Installing a 6 mil poly vapor barrier in the crawlspace.
Ø Treating the foundation walls, floor joists, sub floor, base plates and exposed wall cavities with an anti-microbial agent.
Ø Installing LGR 28 gallon per day dehumidifiers to remove the water vapor from the air.
Ø Installing high volume air movers (2000 CFM) to promote evaporation.
Ø Installing 85,000 BTU portable furnace producing 165 degree airflow at 3% relative humidity at the rate of 1200 cubic feet per minute and one 1250 CFM air mover functioning as an exhaust unit to prevent pressurizing the crawlspace.
Ø Maintain relative humidity levels at or below 60%.
The following are actual projects performed by Evans Team, LLC, along the coastal area of North Carolina during the period of nine weeks following hurricane Isabel. All of the water damage restoration and structural and contents drying activities shown on the following pages are covered under the National Flood Insurance Program and are paid for by insurance if the homeowner has flood coverage.