Moisture Meters Are First of Line Defense When Evaluating Water Damage for Restorers and Technicians

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:

Nancy Sergeant, Sergeant Marketing, 973-334-6666, nsergeant@sergeantmarketing.com

Paul Laurenzi, Delmhorst Instrument Co, 877-335-6467, plaurenzi@delmhorst.com

MOISTURE METERS ARE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE WHEN EVALUATING

WATER DAMAGE FOR RESTORERS AND TECHNICIANS

-- Delmhorst Instrument Co. Offers Tips to Mitigate Water Damage After Flooding --

TOWACO, N.J. - (NOV. 21, 2012) – Hurricane Sandy has brought a harrowing scenario to many on the East Coast leaving thousands of home and business owners in the midst of devastation and a massive cleanup effort. In addition to the wind destruction, this ‘perfect’ storm’s water surge left many homes and businesses under water and inaccessible for days or longer. In all cases, the best chance for property restoration, where possible, is entering the structure as early as possible to accurately assess damage and mitigate the effects of water damage.

Ideally, when a structure floods you want to enter within 24 hours and test for the extent of water damage. Unfortunately, with Hurricane Sandy many homes and businesses were inaccessible for well over one week. This created more complications, such as conditions in the drywall where mold started to grow during the wait period, or the drywall could have become too saturated to be dried out with equipment.

“If one does not have access to their home right away its best to bring in a professional contractor to assess the scope of damage and proceed swiftly with the recommendations,” said Paul Laurenzi, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Delmhorst Instrument Co. “After a structure has been sitting for some time without remediation, it is more likely that materials must be ripped out and replaced instead of dried.”

Tips for mitigating water damage in buildings:

• Enter the structure as soon as it is safe to do so according to authorities.
• Do not step in water where electrical wires are exposed, nor operate equipment powered by electricity in standing water.
• Avoid contact with anything that has come in contact with seawater or water from a creek, river or stream because items affected may be contaminated and a hazard to your health.
• Wear waterproof shoes and protective clothing.
• Discard all food including canned goods that have come in contact with the water.
• Remove and dry upholstered items, wipe down wood furniture and remove lamps and tabletop items.
• Air out the structure if outside is less humid than inside.
• Contact a water cleanup, restoration and mold mitigation and remediation expert tech to access the extent of moisture content.

Tips for professionals measuring moisture content in water-damaged structures:

After flooding has occurred, a disaster recovery crew/technician should visit the structure within a 24-hour period and:

• Arrive at the job site with a moisture meter to perform an overall evaluation of the damage. This evaluation will enable the tech to utilize the proper equipment for fast, complete drying.
• Make moisture measurements every day during the drying cycle to determine if the equipment is doing its job.
• Adjust equipment as needed along the way based on data obtained from meter readings.
• Verify the structure is dry by making final moisture checks before removing any equipment.
• Sign off with confidence that the job was done correctly.

For restorers and technicians, moisture meters are crucial tools for determining the extent of a structure’s water damage. Moisture meters are the key to a successful water damage cleanup and the first phase used to determine if the structure can be returned to pre-loss condition. The two types of meters used to measure moisture in wood, concrete and drywall are:

• Pin Type [BD-2100] – an instrument that penetrates the material being tested and precisely detects the source of moisture through electrical resistance; and,
• Pin-less Type [TechScan Moisture Meter and HT-4000 Thermo-Hygrometer] – noninvasive instruments, which are best used for a quick surface scan, uses capacitance technology to detect moisture through a sensor pad when placed on a surface.

Delmhorst Instrument Co. is the only manufacturer to offer meters with a calibrated drywall scale.

Individuals with flooding can get sound advice on how to proceed from guides from the Red Cross, FEMA and HUD, which provide important tips for those affected by floods on how to recover property safely.

About Delmhorst Instrument Co.

For over 65 years, Delmhorst Instrument Co. has been the leading manufacturer of high-quality moisture meters and thermo-hygrometers. Delmhorst meters are used for a wide variety of applications, including restoration, IAQ, flooring, woodworking/lumber, construction, agriculture, and paper. Initially, Delmhorst sold one model to building superintendents in New York City to help them identify leaks in roofs and plaster walls. Today, the company serves more industries than all of its competitors combined, and is recognized as the market leader in each of those industries.

For further information contact: Paul Laurenzi is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Delmhorst Instrument Co. at 1-877-DELMHORST (335-6467) or visit us at www.delmhorst.com for details on the entire line of products.

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