Services · DFW
Water extraction and structural drying after a fire
A residential fire attack line delivers well over a hundred gallons a minute, and the fire department is not worried about your subfloor. By the time the fire is out, the parts of the building the fire missed are often soaked. Getting that water out is a first-night job.
The water problem nobody mentions
Fire damage gets the attention; water damage from suppression is often larger by area. It runs down through floors, pools on slabs, wicks up drywall and sits in insulation. In DFW's humidity, wet building materials start growing mold in 24 to 48 hours. On the first visit, water extraction starts as soon as the building is secured.
How we dry a building
- Extraction. Truck-mounted and portable extractors remove standing water and pull as much as possible out of carpet, pad and porous flooring before evaporation has to do the rest.
- Moisture mapping. Every wall, floor and ceiling is metered and the readings are recorded on a floor plan. Thermal imaging finds wet areas behind finished surfaces. This map is shared with your adjuster.
- Selective removal. Materials that will not dry in a reasonable time, or that were wet and then heated, are removed: saturated drywall, carpet pad, insulation, particle-board subfloor.
- Air movement and dehumidification. Air movers and low-grain refrigerant or desiccant dehumidifiers are placed and sized for the space, not just scattered around.
- Daily monitoring. Readings are taken and logged every day until the structure reaches its dry standard. Equipment comes out when the numbers say so, not when the calendar does.
Why the log matters for your claim
Insurers pay for drying equipment by the day and want proof that it was needed. A daily moisture log with before-and-after readings is that proof. It also protects you later: if a mold problem appears in a year, the log shows the structure was dried to standard.
Mold
If drying reveals existing mold growth larger than 25 square feet, Texas law requires a licensed mold remediator. We stop, document, and refer you to one rather than quietly bagging it up. Small, incidental growth on materials that are being removed anyway is handled as part of the removal.
Questions
Asked about water extraction & drying
How long does drying take?
Typically three to five days for a standard house once extraction and removal are done, longer for slab foundations, hardwood floors and plaster. The daily readings tell us, and you, when it is finished.
Can you save hardwood floors?
Sometimes, with specialized mat systems that pull moisture up through the boards, if we get to them early enough and they were not directly burned. We will tell you honestly whether it is worth trying.
Do I have to keep the loud equipment running?
Yes, continuously. Switching it off overnight to sleep sets drying back by a day and can put you past the mold window. If noise is a real problem we can look at moving you to a different part of the house or arranging alternative accommodation through your policy.
Do you do water damage that is not from a fire?
Yes: burst pipes, appliance failures, roof leaks and storm intrusion, using the same equipment and process. Fire and smoke is our specialty, but drying is drying.
Related
Usually part of the same job
24/7 Emergency Fire Response
Someone answers the phone at 3 a.m. and a crew is on the road. Securing, stabilizing and stopping the damage from getting worse.
Details →Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration
Full assessment, structural cleaning, smoke residue removal and rebuild planning for homes and commercial property.
Details →Reconstruction & Repairs
One contractor from demolition to final coat of paint. Framing, drywall, electrical and plumbing coordination, finishes.
Details →Fire out. Now what?
Call before you touch anything. We will tell you what to do in the next hour, what not to do, and when a crew can be there. No charge for the call, no obligation for the visit.