Instructor Ed Jones has over 30 years of experience in theindustry, has the title of MasterWater Restorer, is an Institute ofInspection Cleaning andRestoration Certification (IICRC)-approved instructor, and hasserved on the S500-2021consensus body committee todevelop the most recent standard.
In my role as an IICRC-approved instructor in water damage restoration and applied structural drying, as well as serving as a technical expert for Accuserve, assisting with complaints, and serving as an expert witness in lawsuits, I have gained valuable insights into common missteps made by restorers.
These mistakes can have serious negative effects on a restoration business and may ultimately cost a company a significant amount of money.
To help restorers avoid these issues, I have prepared a Restorer's Watch Out Checklist highlighting five important areas that deserve special attention during every water damage mitigation project.
One of the most common mistakes I see is restorers failing to provide complete drying logs that validate their drying process.
Proper documentation should support the length of drying time and demonstrate that affected materials were dried to a condition that would inhibit microbial growth.
This is the first thing I look at when reviewing a file involving allegations of incomplete drying or causing mold.
Take comprehensive moisture content readings using a penetrating moisture meter whenever possible because these readings provide more conclusive documentation.
Non-penetrating or non-invasive moisture meters do not directly measure moisture content and are less helpful when trying to prove that materials were properly dried.
Moisture content readings should be taken on all materials being dried and recorded alongside a detailed moisture map.
Provide clearly labeled photos showing that appropriate drying targets were reached in each affected area.
Examples include:
I recommend labeling drywall and plaster walls by room and wall number.
For floors and ceilings, use quadrants labeled A, B, C, D, and so on.
As a general recommendation, use:
These recommendations follow the air mover formula referenced in the IICRC S500-2021 standard.
Your moisture map does not have to be complicated.
A simple sketch can show:
Take a photo of the moisture map and combine it with labeled photos of your final penetrating moisture content readings.
This creates valuable evidence if questions or allegations arise later.
You should also provide daily psychrometric readings that include:
These readings help validate the length of drying time and identify any challenges encountered during the drying process.
The goal is to create a detailed, defensible drying file that clearly demonstrates what was done and why.
Another important step is photographing your initial drying equipment setup.
These photos should show that proper containment was established and that the drying chamber was placed under negative air pressure when appropriate.
When using an air filtration device, also known as an AFD, document how it is positioned and where the air is being exhausted.
For negative-pressure containment, this may involve exhausting air outside the drying chamber or through a window using lay-flat ducting.
Too many times, I have seen AFDs simply placed inside a room without exhausting air outside the room or the drying chamber.
This can become a major issue when allegations arise involving cross-contamination or the spread of asbestos fibers or mold spores.
On contaminated water losses, I recommend taking photos of daily manometer readings to demonstrate that negative air pressure was maintained inside contained affected areas.
Your documentation should show:
Allegations involving cross-contamination can become expensive legal disputes, especially when occupants report health concerns.
Tell your story with photos and label them clearly to demonstrate the steps taken to protect indoor air quality throughout the project.
Providing only one moisture content reading for an entire room is one of the most common mistakes restorers make.
A single reading is not enough to demonstrate the moisture conditions of all affected materials.
When walls become wet, record moisture content readings for the affected walls and their sill plates.
Make sure sill plate readings are documented for each affected room where walls were wet.
For wet floors and ceilings, I recommend recording readings at the following intervals:
When ceilings become wet, be sure to obtain moisture readings from ceiling joists and wood subfloors, where applicable.
Every moisture reading should correspond with a clearly identified location on your moisture map.
These readings should also appear in your drying logs or mobile documentation application.
Before completing the project, take photos of your final-day readings to demonstrate that all affected materials being dried were returned to acceptable moisture levels that would inhibit microbial growth.
All photos should be labeled and easy to understand.
Complete moisture documentation is essential when defending against allegations of incomplete drying.
Before-and-after photos are another important part of a defensible water mitigation file.
You should provide photos of each affected room showing its initial condition before work begins.
These photos should clearly illustrate the extent of the water damage and the condition of the property at the beginning of the project.
Initial photos should document:
Once mitigation is completed, take final photos of every affected room.
These should demonstrate that the work area was left in a neat and organized condition.
Final photos should show:
Make sure all photos are well-labeled so anyone reviewing the file can easily understand the drying story.
This documentation can help protect your company if someone later claims that your team left the property in poor condition or caused unnecessary dust or debris.
One of the easiest ways to avoid unnecessary disputes is to document pre-existing damage before bringing equipment into the property or beginning mitigation work.
Take detailed photos showing any existing damage to the structure or contents.
Examples include:
Make sure your initial photos show the condition of the property before any drying equipment is brought inside or work begins.
This helps establish a clear record of what was already damaged and what conditions existed when your team arrived.
In addition to photographing existing damage, include comments about those conditions in the customer's Work Authorization.
This provides another layer of documentation and helps establish expectations before mitigation begins.
When disagreements arise over who caused damage, the company with the strongest documentation is often in the best position to defend its work.
When those "he said, she said" disputes occur, the one with the best documentation wins!
Water damage mitigation requires more than simply drying affected materials.
Restorers must also document their work thoroughly to demonstrate that proper procedures were followed and that affected materials were returned to acceptable moisture conditions.
By following this five-point checklist, restoration professionals can strengthen their project files and reduce the likelihood of costly disputes involving incomplete drying, mold, cross-contamination, or property damage.
Remember to document your moisture readings, photograph equipment and containment setups, track drying progress, capture before-and-after photos, and identify pre-existing conditions.
The better you document your work, the better prepared you will be to protect your customers, your reputation, and your restoration business.
