Two multi-story oceanfront condominium buildings that were under construction in southeast Florida were damaged by
winds and heavy rains during a tropical storm. At the time of the storm lower floors of the building had been enclosed, and drywall installation was in progress. Temporary roofs had been installed over the enclosed floors. During the storm, these temporary roofs were torn off allowing a substantial amount of water to drain down through the building, through chases and floor penetrations, causing wetting of installed drywall materials. The contractor wanted to save as much of the water impacted drywall as possible.
We initiated a drying program that started by removing as much liquid water as possible, and then employed fans on impacted floors to speed drying of wet drywall and concrete. We monitored the rate of drying and found that drying could be accomplished without the expense of desiccant dehumidification drying equipment. Fans were able to keep surface moisture low enough to prevent mold growth. During the drying process, the moisture content of drywall materials was monitored to determine when drying was complete. Core integrity testing using ASTM procedures was performed to determine if the strength of the drywall had been adversely impacted by the wetting.
Our drying program saved virtually all of the drywall, and construction could continue with minimal impact on cost and schedule for the project.