Typical drying times
Most clean-water jobs take about three to five days of active drying once equipment is running. Larger losses, water that came through ceilings, hardwood floors and concrete can take longer. Sewage and floodwater jobs add time for removal and cleaning before drying even starts.
What sets the timeline
- How long materials stayed wet before drying began
- Materials involved: hardwood, plaster and concrete hold water far longer than drywall and carpet
- How many layers are wet, such as flooring over subfloor over a crawl space
- Indoor humidity and temperature, and the weather outside
- Whether enough air movers and dehumidifiers are placed and maintained
How dryness is confirmed
A good crew takes moisture readings on day one, including readings on unaffected areas of the same materials as a baseline. They return to measure each day and adjust equipment. Drying is finished when wet materials read at or near those baseline values, not when they feel dry to the touch.
Your part during drying
- Keep equipment running and plugged in, even at night
- Keep windows and doors closed unless the crew asks otherwise; dehumidifiers work best in a closed space
- Keep the thermostat in a normal range
- Don't move air movers or turn off dehumidifiers to save power
- Let the crew know if you smell something musty or see new staining