Step 1: Emergency Dispatch and Pre-Arrival Triage (0 to 60 Minutes)
- Call is logged with property address, loss type, square footage affected, and utility status.
- Dispatcher confirms power, gas, and water shutoff status. If water is still flowing, we walk you through the main shutoff before arrival.
- Two-technician crew dispatched with truck-mounted extraction (minimum 150 PSI), 6 to 12 LGR dehumidifiers, 20 to 40 air movers, and antimicrobial agents.
- ETA in Olive Branch Manor runs 45 to 90 minutes during business hours, 60 to 120 minutes overnight.
- Documentation begins on the phone: timestamp, caller name, and initial photos requested if safe.
- Insurance carrier and policy number captured if available, along with deductible amount and adjuster contact.
- Building access requirements logged: gate codes, after-hours contacts, loading dock restrictions, and elevator reservations.
Step 2: Site Arrival and Safety Lockout (Minutes 60 to 90)
- Lead technician performs walkthrough with you or your facility manager.
- Electrical panel inspected. Affected circuits locked out per OSHA 1910.147.
- Slip, trip, and fall hazards flagged with cones and caution tape.
- Category determination made: Category 1 (clean), Category 2 (gray), or Category 3 (black). This drives every downstream decision including PPE, containment, and material disposal.
- If sewage or contaminated water is present, containment barriers go up before extraction begins. See our commercial sewage cleanup process for Category 3 specifics.
- Air quality screened for VOCs and hydrogen sulfide where Category 3 is suspected.
- Confined space entry protocols applied for crawl spaces, mechanical rooms, and elevator pits.
Step 11: Business Continuity Considerations
- Temporary partitions installed to isolate work zones from operating areas during phased recovery.
- After-hours and weekend work scheduled to minimize impact on revenue-generating operations.
- Inventory and equipment relocated to climate-controlled storage when on-site protection is not feasible.
- Coordination with IT for server room drying, including precision cooling and low-RH targets of 35 to 45 percent.
- Signage and customer-facing communication drafted with your team if public-facing areas are affected.
Step 3: Moisture Mapping and Documentation (Hour 1 to 2)
- Thermal imaging camera scans walls, ceilings, and subfloors to identify hidden saturation.
- Penetrating and non-penetrating moisture meters log readings every 4 to 6 feet.
- Baseline readings established in unaffected areas for comparison (typically 12 to 16 percent in drywall, 8 to 12 percent in wood).
- Floor plan sketched with affected zones, meter readings, and material types labeled.
- Photo documentation captured for insurance: minimum 50 to 200 photos depending on loss size.
- Hygrometer readings logged for ambient temperature, RH, and grains per pound in each affected room.
- Wall cavity probes used at suspected wick lines to confirm hidden moisture above visible water marks.
Step 12: Claim Support and Final Documentation
- Xactimate estimate generated using line items aligned with your carrier's pricing database.
- Daily moisture logs, photos, equipment run-time records, and material disposal manifests bundled into a single claim packet.
- Olive Branch Manor Metal Roofing project manager available for adjuster site visits and scope reconciliation calls.
- Supplements filed promptly when hidden damage is uncovered during demolition or reconstruction.
- Final invoice issued only after your sign-off on completed scope and any agreed punch list items.
Step 9: Drying Verification and Equipment Removal
- All materials must read within 2 percentage points of dry standard for 2 consecutive days.
- Final thermal scan confirms no hidden moisture pockets remain.
- Equipment removed and inventoried.
- Final report compiled with all readings, photos, and material logs for your insurance adjuster.
- If mold growth is suspected, a separate remediation scope is written under IICRC S520 protocols.
- Post-remediation verification (PRV) sampling offered when third-party clearance is required by the carrier or property owner.
Step 10: Reconstruction and Reopening
- Drywall, insulation, trim, flooring, and paint scoped against pre-loss condition.
- Phased reconstruction offered when partial occupancy is possible.
- Permits pulled where required by Olive Branch Manor code.
- Final walkthrough with you confirms scope completion.
- For full service scope details, see our commercial water restoration page.
Step 4: Water Extraction (Hour 2 to 6)
- Standing water extracted with truck-mounted units rated 150 to 200 PSI.
- Carpet and pad extraction performed with weighted extraction tools for maximum water removal.
- Hard surface squeegee and wet-vac pass on tile, LVT, and sealed concrete.
- Pad removed and disposed if Category 2 or 3, or if saturation exceeds 24 hours.
- Extraction continues until no measurable water surfaces under weighted tool pressure.
- Submersible pumps deployed where standing water exceeds 2 inches or extraction wand reach is limited.
- Volume of water removed estimated and logged in gallons for the claim summary.
Step 7: Structural Drying Setup (Hour 8 to 24)
- Air movers placed at 12 to 16 foot intervals, angled 15 to 45 degrees to wall surfaces.
- One LGR dehumidifier deployed per 1,000 to 1,500 square feet of affected area, sized to the grain depression load.
- Target conditions: 60 to 80 degrees F, 30 to 50 percent relative humidity, GPP differential of 30 to 50 grains.
- Drying chamber sealed where possible to maximize equipment efficiency.
- Power load calculated to avoid tripping breakers. Generators staged if circuit capacity is insufficient.
- Specialty drying equipment (injectidry systems, drying mats, desiccant units) added for hardwood, concrete, or trapped cavities.
Step 6: Antimicrobial Application (Hour 6 to 10)
- EPA-registered antimicrobial applied to all affected surfaces at manufacturer-specified dilution.
- Category 2 losses receive standard botanical or quaternary ammonium treatment.
- Category 3 losses receive hospital-grade disinfection with documented dwell time of 10 minutes minimum.
- HVAC vents in the affected zone sealed with 6-mil poly to prevent cross-contamination.
- Containment barriers installed using negative air machines with HEPA filtration for any Category 2 or 3 area.
- Product batch numbers and SDS sheets attached to the project file for compliance review.
Step 8: Daily Monitoring (Days 2 to 7)
- Technician returns every 24 hours to log readings.
- Moisture content recorded for every flagged material point.
- Equipment repositioned based on dry-down curves.
- Dehumidifier output verified (target 10 to 25 gallons per unit per 24 hours initially).
- Drying log signed by site contact each day for the claim file.
- If readings plateau for 48 hours, scope is reassessed and additional demolition or equipment may be added.
Step 5: Controlled Demolition and Material Removal (Hour 4 to 12)
- Wet drywall cut at 2 feet or 4 feet above floor based on wick height and meter readings.
- Wet insulation bagged and removed (it does not dry effectively and traps moisture).
- Baseboards, vinyl base, and trim removed and labeled for reinstallation or replacement.
- Ceiling tiles in drop ceilings removed if saturated. Hard-lid ceilings inspected via access cuts.
- All debris weighed or photo-logged for the insurance claim. For walls specifically, our wet drywall repair guide details cut heights and reinstallation specs.