Deep Structural Drying: Framing, Subfloors & Concrete

Signs you need help now

• Hardwood flooring cupping, crowning, or separating at seams
• Plywood or OSB subflooring feeling sponge-like or swollen beneath finished floors
• Wall framing studs remaining cool, damp, or reading high moisture on digital pin meters
• Persistent damp, earthy odors lingering days after surface water was mopped up
• Concrete basement floors or crawl space footings showing dark moisture stains or efflorescence

Do this while you call

• Do not apply paint, sealants, or new flooring over damp building surfaces; trapped moisture causes severe structural rot.
• Maintain indoor temperatures between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit if HVAC operation is safe, which aids moisture evaporation.
• Avoid using household box fans, which merely circulate humid air without extracting moisture from the environment.
• Document meter readings if available and record daily conditions for verification with your insurance adjuster.

If anyone is in danger, there is fire, or you smell gas, leave the building and call 911 first.

What an independent provider typically does

• Commercial Low-Grain Refrigerant (LGR) or desiccant dehumidifiers reduce ambient humidity to accelerate deep evaporation.
• High-velocity axial and centrifugal air movers create high-speed airflow across wet structural surfaces to release bound moisture.
• Specialized specialty drying mats draw moisture directly out of soaked hardwood flooring and multi-layer subflooring.
• Daily moisture tracking logs record relative humidity, temperature, and material moisture content until dry standards are achieved.
• Equipment runs continuously until structural lumber reaches safe equilibrium moisture content baseline levels.

Exact steps depend on the provider and your situation. Confirm availability, service scope and pricing with them directly.

Commerce City notes

Although Colorado enjoys a semi-arid Front Range climate, interior building assemblies do not dry automatically when soaked. Modern construction across Reunion, Belle Creek, and Buffalo Mesa utilizes engineered I-joists and oriented strand board (OSB), which expand permanently if allowed to stay wet.

Furthermore, basement slabs and foundation walls throughout Commerce City are in direct contact with Adams County clay soils. When saturated from an internal loss, concrete acts as a moisture sponge, slowly releasing water vapor back into living spaces unless commercial dehumidification is maintained.

Professional drying technicians calculate grains per pound (GPP) of moisture and vapor pressure differentials to ensure structural assemblies dry thoroughly before walls are closed or flooring is replaced.

Not sure what your policy covers? Read our water damage insurance guide, and check coverage areas on the service areas page.

Questions about structural drying