When disaster strikes your home or business, proper restoration equipment placement is the key to minimizing damage and speeding up recovery. Whether you’re dealing with damage from a burst pipe, flood, or storm, the strategic positioning of your drying equipment can make the difference between a quick recovery and long-term structural damage.
First Choice Equipment Sales and Service specializes in providing top-quality restoration equipment that enables both professionals and homeowners to implement ideal placement strategies. Our team’s expertise in selecting the right equipment for each unique situation ensures our customers can achieve optimal drying results while receiving compassionate support during challenging recovery periods.
Why Proper Restoration Equipment Placement Matters
Proper restoration equipment placement is the key to creating an optimal environment for efficient moisture removal. When dehumidifiers, air movers, and other drying equipment are positioned correctly, they create airflow patterns that extract moisture from all affected materials, including those hidden behind walls and under floors.
Improper placement, on the other hand, can lead to extended drying times, higher utility costs, and potentially missed moisture pockets that later cause mold or structural issues.
Essential Equipment for Effective Restoration
Along with restoration equipment placement, to achieve maximum drying efficiency, you need the right tools in your restoration arsenal. The core equipment for water damage restoration includes air movers, dehumidifiers, and moisture meters:
Air Movers
Air movers create high-velocity airflow across wet surfaces, accelerating the evaporation process. Unlike ordinary fans, professional-grade air movers, such as the Phoenix Focus II and Force One Centrifugal models available at First Choice, are designed specifically for restoration, featuring precise airflow control and sturdy construction for continuous operation.
Dehumidifiers
Dehumidifiers work in conjunction with air movers to extract moisture from the air. You’ll need to choose between refrigerant dehumidifiers, such as the AQUATRAP AT150RS LGR, for standard temperature conditions, and desiccant dehumidifiers, like the Phoenix D385, for lower temperatures or when faster drying is required.
Also Relevant: How to Choose the Right Dehumidifier Size for Your Restoration Project
Moisture Meters
Moisture meters help you to track the progress of your drying efforts by measuring the actual moisture content of affected materials. Without these devices, you have to guess when materials are dry, which can lead to premature equipment removal or unnecessarily extended drying times.
Strategic Placement of Air Movers
When it comes to proper restoration equipment placement, you must position your air movers correctly. Continuous airflow across all wet surfaces ensures no area is missed in the drying process.
For standard room drying, position air movers in a clockwise or counterclockwise pattern around the perimeter, with each unit angled toward the wall at a 15-30-degree angle. When drying wet floors, place air movers in a circular pattern, aiming them toward the center of the wet area to create a vortex effect that maximizes evaporation.
Remember that different surfaces and materials require different approaches. Hardwood floors benefit from direct airflow, while carpets and padding may require float techniques where the carpet is lifted and air is forced underneath. Always adjust your air mover placement based on the specific materials and circumstances you’re dealing with.
Dehumidifier Placement for Maximum Efficiency
While air movers facilitate evaporation, proper restoration equipment placement of dehumidifiers ensures that the evaporated moisture is efficiently removed from the air.
Place dehumidifiers in the center of the affected area when possible, ensuring there’s sufficient space around the unit for proper air intake and discharge. In multi-room scenarios, position dehumidifiers in central hallways or larger rooms, then use air movers to direct moist air toward these units.
The number of dehumidifiers required depends on several factors, including the size of the affected area, the severity of the water damage, and the current ambient conditions. As a general guideline, one standard LGR dehumidifier can handle approximately 150-300 square feet of moderate water damage; however, this ratio varies based on job conditions and specific machine capacity.
Monitoring and Adjusting Equipment Throughout the Drying Process
Proper restoration equipment placement isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it process. Effective drying requires ongoing monitoring and strategic adjustment of your equipment as conditions change.
Use moisture meters to regularly check the moisture content of different materials to track drying progress. As some areas dry faster than others, you’ll need to reposition equipment to concentrate on those stubborn damp spots.
Humidity and temperature readings should be taken at least twice daily. You want to maintain an environment with a relative humidity below 60% and temperatures between 70°F and 80°F when possible. If readings fall outside these ranges, adjust your dehumidifier settings or add supplemental heating or cooling as needed.
Addressing Special Drying Challenges
Not all water damage scenarios are straightforward room drying situations. You’ll often encounter special challenges that require modifications to standard restoration equipment placement techniques.
For wall cavities, you’ll need specialized equipment like the Viking PDS-21 Pressurized Wall Cavity Dryer. Cavity Dryers force dry air into wall cavities after small holes are drilled near the baseboards, dramatically accelerating the drying of otherwise inaccessible spaces. Without addressing the hidden areas behind your walls, you risk mold growth and structural damage even after visible surfaces appear dry.
For large commercial spaces or severe climates, standard equipment may be inadequate. In these cases, you should bring in industrial-grade equipment like the Phoenix FireBird heating system or large desiccant dehumidifiers such as the Phoenix D850. Powerful units can handle extensive damage and dramatically reduce drying times in large-scale restoration projects.
Read Also: The Impact of Climate on Choosing the Right Drying Equipment
Creating an Efficient Drying System Through Restoration Equipment Placement
Start by assessing the affected area, identifying all wet materials and potential challenges. Use this information to develop a strategic drying plan that specifies the types and quantities of equipment needed as well as their initial placement.
Set up containment if needed, then place dehumidifiers in central locations or near the wettest areas. Position air movers to create comprehensive coverage of all wet surfaces, paying special attention to corners, closets, and other areas where air circulation is naturally limited. Then, add specialized equipment for unique challenges like wall cavities or hardwood floors.
Establish a monitoring schedule and stick to it, documenting moisture readings, temperature, and humidity levels throughout the process. Use this data to guide equipment adjustments, ensuring your drying system remains optimized as conditions change. Taking a systematic approach to proper restoration equipment placement yields the fastest, most efficient drying results.
Find Your Ideal Restoration Equipment Placement with First Choice Equipment Sales and Service
The difference between amateur and professional restoration often comes down to this knowledge of equipment placement. While anyone can rent or purchase drying equipment, knowing exactly how to position them for maximum efficiency requires expertise and experience. Working with professionals who understand these principles can save you time, money, and stress during the restoration process.
When you’re facing water damage in your home or business, don’t underestimate the importance of proper restoration equipment placement. Contact First Choice Equipment Sales and Service to access not only top-quality restoration equipment but also the expertise needed to use it effectively. Give us a call today, or fill out our online contact form. Our team can help you achieve the fastest, most efficient restoration possible.