Drying wall cavities, crawlspaces, and other tight spaces has been an ongoing struggle through the years. In the past, water inside the wall was rarely addressed. We often attempted to dry an entire room for the sake of one lower wall. Sometimes creative, labor-intensive tenting schemes seemed like the only way. These methods regularly took so long to dry that secondary damage occurred, creating costly strip out, trashing base board, sheetrock, insulation, and your timeline. The goal of any water restoration project is to return the structure to a pre-loss condition, right? Contemporary thought is to actually dry materials in place, rather than demolish and replace. This is particularly true of wall and ceiling cavities.
The next step in the evolution of drying was ‘injection drying systems:’ pumping pressurized air into walls, ceilings, and underneath floors. These machines were a huge technological advancement. They introduce additional air flow into spaces that need it desperately. Injection drying undoubtedly delivered better services and healthier results. These systems work by using an air pump and hose system to inject air (often heated) through small nozzles into hidden air spaces. Holes are drilled into drywall or under cabinets, in the least conspicuous locations. Next, the nozzles are inserted and pressurized air is pumped in. This technique works well to dry out inaccessible areas without cutting excessively large ventilation holes. One downfall to this methodology is the extensive prep and setup. It is recommended that you drill multiple holes per cavity, and allow the full run of hose with nozzles open to maintain the proper pressure. In addition, the loud noise and conditions caused by this equipment are not optimal for the home or business owner, but it is important that all equipment remain powered on for the duration of the process.