Framing Dry Down Readings in Loveland, OH

Why does a wall still feel damp after the water is gone?

Because the water left in the framing is still releasing moisture into the air. Wood holds water well below its surface, and the drying has to move that water out.

The air in the room may feel fine while the wall cavity is still wet, which is why the readings matter more than the feel.

A dehumidifier takes moisture out of the air, which lets the wet materials give up more of their water. A closed building with the heat off dries much more slowly.

How do crews decide the drying is finished?

They compare the readings at each measured point with the dry standard for that material and check the trend across several days.

A moisture meter gives a number for the wood, and the number is compared with a reading from unaffected material in the same building.

The final log shows where each point started, how it moved each day and the reading at release. If a repair is opened later and the wood is still wet, the log shows what was done.

Can I run a dehumidifier myself?

A household dehumidifier can help a small, shallow wet area once standing water is gone, but it cannot handle a deep loss inside walls.

A portable unit pulls moisture from the room's air, but the wet framing in the walls keeps releasing moisture into the air around it. The unit fills up and the room gets damp again.

Do not run a unit on an extension cord near water, and keep a log of the humidity if you do run one.

What if a point cannot be reached?

The crew adjusts the plan with a different unit, a different position or a small opening that creates an airflow path. A point that cannot be reached is recorded with the reason.

Some cavities are hard to reach with air movers. A probe or a small opening can create the airflow the drying needs, and each opening is recorded.

A point that stays wet may need opening, and that decision is made with the owner in writing, because the opening is a change to the scope.

Reading the framing without taking the wall apart

Framing readings are taken through small openings and at the plates, so the wall stays closed where it can.

Framing carries water inside a wall, and it dries slowly because the wood is enclosed. The crew reads the framing through small openings and at the top and bottom plates. Where it can, it reads from the outside of the room, so the wall is opened only where it must be.

Each reading is written with its place and its time. The set of readings is the record of the drying.

• Read the top and bottom plates at each stud bay
• Take readings through small openings where needed
• Note the place, time and value of each reading
• Repeat the same readings on each visit
• Record the target and the day it is reached

What a slow framing reading means

A framing reading that stays high usually means a hidden source or a slow-drying material.

If a framing reading does not fall between visits, the crew checks three things first: whether the source is still wet, whether the air is moving past the framing, and whether a material is holding the water. A hidden source is the most serious of the three, and the crew stops the drying plan until it is found.

The explanation goes into the scope with the readings. A homeowner who sees a slow reading can ask for the same explanation on the next visit.

• Check whether the source is still running
• Check whether air is moving past the framing
• Check whether insulation or a board is holding the water
• Stop the drying plan until a hidden source is found
• Write the explanation into the scope