by Jocelyn Hare; e-published in R&R Magazine
There are multiple ways to dry affected walls, each with different benefits depending on the severity of the loss. It is often recommended to start with the drying process that requires the least amount of demolition. When you remove affected materials that could be dried, you decrease the amount of drying equipment needed. Drying walls allows you to minimize your labor costs while maximizing the amount of drying equipment on a job.
1. A common step to drying affected walls is to remove affected baseboard. By detaching baseboard from wet walls, capillary action (stage 2 of the drying process) can occur. While baseboards may impede the dry-time of wet walls, this is also the case with wall coverings such as calcimine (often referred to as “cal-cote”), gloss and semi-gloss paints, and wallpaper. Once the baseboard is removed, and nearby flooring is dry, bound moisture in the walls may “wick” out through the bottom of the walls. Contractors often leave a small gap between the wall material and the subfloor.
Pro Tip#1: To reduce secondary damage to affected walls, carefully score the top of the baseboard to disconnect it from the wall or wall covering.
2. When materials become wet, the moisture becomes bound within the materials, including the inside of wall cavities. To dry materials that contain bound water, the drying process goes through the third and final stage of drying, “vapor diffusion”. The best way to allow airflow to access the affected wall cavities is through wall cavity drying. By removing the baseboard and creating one 5/8” hole every 14-16 inches (or in between each stud bay), the decrease in vapor pressure will allow moisture trapped inside the materials to turn into vapor and evaporate into the drying chamber. Wall cavity drying can help reduce the overall dry-time of affected materials.
Pro Tip #2: Use an aerator, like the one created for restorers by Restoration Tools, to create the holes for wall cavity drying. It is 15 times faster than the current method and leaves no debris to clean up.
Pro Tip #3: The process of creating holes for wall cavity drying can typically be added to estimates. (ex: Xactimate users, use WTR WALLH)
3. In some cases, the process of wall cavity drying may require the use of specialty drying equipment. Unlike typical wall cavity drying, where the vapor evaporates into the drying chamber through the cavity hole, the injected airflow helps to inject drier air from the chamber into the cavities.
Pro Tip #4: Using injected-air drying systems can be advantageous in drying hard-to-reach spaces or sensitive areas such as server/computer rooms.
As with any water loss, it is necessary to utilize proper drying equipment sized and placed to allow for optimum drying. Follow local and industry guidelines in determining salvageable materials and the best drying process for each water loss.
Be sure to follow the EPA’s lead RRP procedures when doing demolition in a building built before 1978. Older buildings may have lead paint or asbestos, and it is imperative that safe abatement procedures are followed.
by Jocelyn Hare; e-published in R&R Magazine
Wall cavity drying. It’s a simple concept, but what does it do for the drying process and why is it so important?
We know the drying process consists of three stages:
Wall cavity drying is especially useful for the second and third stages (drying through capillary action and vapor diffusion). Let’s take wet walls of drywall as an example. After removing the baseboard, which blocks air flow, technicians may create ⅝” holes along the perimeter of the affected walls. Through a combination of the pressure exerted, the volume of the space, and the latent energy, water is taken from its physical state and turned into a gas, or vapor. This process can also take place in ceiling and cabinet cavities.
So when should you use wall cavity drying methods? Here are some general guidelines:
There isn’t a “one size fits all” method for water restoration, as each job and customer is unique. It is important to assess each situation so you can use the best tool for the job. After removing the baseboard, being sure to score it so as to not cause secondary damage, the most common method of creating holes for wall cavity drying is with a drill and vacuum. Did you know you can typically add this as a line item in your estimates? A fact of the restoration industry is the high margin profitability of equipment rental, and conversely, the low margins associated with labor intensive tasks. When you remove affected materials that could have been dried, you decrease the amount of drying equipment needed. Drying wall cavities allows you to minimize your labor costs while maximizing the amount of drying equipment on a job.
A new tool has emerged in the market, called the Aerator, that speeds this process by 15 times. This innovative tool is designed and produced by Restoration Tools. The team has over 40 years of combined experience in the disaster restoration industry and is improving restoration one tool at a time. To learn more about the Aerator and Restoration Tools, visit restorationtools.com.
Be sure to follow the EPA’s Lead RRP procedures when doing demolition in a building built before 1978. Older buildings may have lead paint or asbestos, and it is imperative that safe abatement procedures are followed.
“Necessity is the mother of invention”. This proverb has been the driving force for Restoration Tools, a company that is developing industry-changing tools for disaster restoration. While the team was doing its work as members of a disaster restoration franchise, the realized the need in their industry for more innovative tools which allowed workers to complete tasks faster and more safely.
With more than 40 years of combined experience in the disaster restoration industry, Restoration Tools partners are familiar with what it takes to run a restoration company. Designing and producing a new product was a totally new ballgame.
Inventing and manufacturing a product always presents unforeseen challenges. Identifying challenges, creating new solutions and overcoming roadblocks is part of the process of product development. Restoration Tools has a lot of ideas, and the initial impulse was to try to develop them all at once. With the guidance of NIU EIGERlab’s Center for Product Development, they decided to tackle one invention at a time.
After settling on their first product, The Aerator, they soon realized they had a multitude of decisions to make. In order to achieve the best results, and not damage their new product, they realized it must be paired with a custom mallet for best results.
With more than one product element to be managed, the team decided to offer a custom carrying bag so the equipment would not be lost or left behind on the job site.
Another caveat to their current innovation underway is offering customer coloring for larger-sized clients such as franchise owners, to provide brand consistency for the company.
The Restoration Tools team discovered that product development is a complex challenge and that when starting a new entity, you may need more time and capital than you initially forecasted.
“We’ve now participated in our first trade show and advertised in our first trade magazine,” said Jocelyn Hare, chief operations officer. “People see the need [for The Aerator], and we’re elated to share that partnerships are forming. In addition, we have reconsidered our sales model to work alongside distributors who will not only assist with sales, but will enhances our marketing efforts.”
The Aerator is a powerful tool because it allows a project that would have taken a technician an hour to complete, to be handled in just five minutes. As such a game changer for the disaster restoration business, it’s already in high-demand.
“From our test marketing, we knew the product had legs, but surprisingly, not to this level. Currently, we’re handling the assembly internally, but we anticipate the need to expand more quickly than we originally thought,” Hare said.
Being an owner of a restoration company for the last 14 years, the process of drilling holes has always been a headache. When you hire technicians, it is inevitable that at some point, they drill a hole above the baseboard, which creates extra work and lost revenue. Not only does The Aerator totally eliminate that issue, but it also saves so much time and effort with the process and cleanup itself.
– Bill K
A local business owner recently bought two Aerators and is planning to purchase another three this month, due to increased productivity and rave reviews from employees.
The Aerator is just the beginning for Restoration Tools. “Now that we have experience creating our first product, we plan to move on with additional inventions quickly. We anticipate starting the R&D phase of our next product in late 2019,” Hare said.
NIU EIGERlab embraces startups and supports entrepreneurs like the Restoration Tools team along the pathway toward success. Programming and services are in place at two NIU EIGERlab locations to assist startups and existing businesses—entrepreneurs in all phases. To learn more about how NIU EIGERlab can help you develop your idea or grow your business, visit www.EIGERlab.org or call 815.753.2192.
By: Sherry Pritz Enderle; NIU EIGERlab
Bringing a good idea to fruition can be overwhelming. But the process – and the results – are worth it.
“Being new to the invention game has kept us on the edge of the learning curve throughout the process,” said Charlie Hare, co-owner of Restoration Tools. Charlie, his daughter Jocelyn and third team member, Marcus Smith, have created the “Aerator”–a utilitarian tool which solves a multitude of issues in the restoration field including cleanliness, a safer work environment, and increased efficiency.
When the team first brought their idea to Mike Cobert at NIU EIGERlab’s Center for Profit Development (C4PD), they had a long list of inventions they were interested in bringing to the market. Mike advised the team to hone in on one, learn the process, align themselves with the manufacturers, and move forward.
“Looking back, this was sage advice,” said Jocelyn Hare. “C4PD has assisted with the durability study, providing a comprehensive project management punch list, and an impressive list of invaluable connections–we are so far ahead of where we would have been with their assistance.”
In addition to working with the C4PD, the team has embraced regional entrepreneurial offerings such as NIU EIGERlab’s Innovation Tuesday Meetups, Thinker Ventures’ weekly 1M Cups, and a variety of Rockford Chamber events.
“By attending NIU EIGERlab’s Meetups, we’ve had an impressive number of our questions answered by both legal and financial experts,” said Jocelyn. In addition to gleaning valuable information, and meeting people who they can potentially partner with, they’ve also met entrepreneurs who are either steps ahead or behind in regards to formulating their businesses.The entrepreneurial network has been a strong source of support and encouragement.
“I can’t say enough about the importance of networking, and paying it forward,” shared Charlie. “Our team members are some of NIU EIGERlab’s biggest cheerleaders, and we use every opportunity to share information on this exceptional local asset.”
“It’s been a pleasure working with the Restoration Tools team, and we’re looking forward to an ongoing relationship as they commercialize their entire group of restoration-related tools,” Mike Cobert shared. “When entrepreneurs are involved in the day-to-day operations, streamlining, safety, and efficiency are often the results. This new line of tools will assist with improved working conditions and additional revenues. I believe Restoration’s revolutionary tools will change the restoration industry!”
NIU EIGERlab embraces startups and supports entrepreneurs like the Restoration Tools team along the pathway toward success. Programming and services are in place at two NIU EIGERlab locations to assist startups and existing businesses—entrepreneurs in all phases. To learn more about how NIU EIGERlab can help you develop your idea or grow your business, visit www.EIGERlab.org or call 815.753.2192.
