 |
|
Disaster Advice Glossary
|
|
|
Disaster recovery and restoration can be veiled in mystery to the many who have not undertaken specific training. This glossary explains technical terms to assist both report writing and the understanding of those technical terms so often misunderstood.
Definition
| Air Sparging: |
The use of pressurised air, forced across a surface to breakaway and strip-off settled smoke, soot, lint, dust and other surface-borne contaminates from a surface. Mitigation Note: Air sparging is a method used in fire damage and dust-down remediation to remove contaminates and pollutants. Air sparging can be used in confined ceiling and attic spaces where general cleaning and HEPA vacuuming cannot be accomplished, or are not cost effective. Education Note: Quite often air sparging is more efficient than HEPA vacuuming and surface cleaning. The equipment for air sparging includes an air compressor as pressurized air, blown across a contaminated surface and aerosolized. The aerosolized particles must not be allowed to become free in the air without being directed to a collection device, airborne particulates must be captured down stream with negative air pressure and HEPA containment equipment (bag filters). The air compressor and forced wind is to be directed towards the negative air flow and HEPA containment vacuums. Safety Caution Note: 1) Do not under any circumstances use air sparging technology to aerosolize grains, flour and any other farm product in a confined space, or at all due to the potential for explosion. 2) Do not use air sparging technology if the mitigation employess are not properly fit with PAPR-type respirators and have appropriate PPE, and the air sparging environment is not completely sealed off from non-effected areas of the building. See PAPR, PPE |
| Attic: |
An upper area of a building or space below the roof line. Mitigation Note: In water damage mitigation of highly humid atmospheres, an attic can receive exceptionally high amounts of trapped humidity and condensation due to temperature gradients from within the building. |
| Batt: |
Referring to insulation, batt material are those insulating materials that are common in walls and attics, and sometimes under a subfloor. See Insulation, R-Value |
| Condensation: |
The ability of water to change to water vapour when heat is increased, and vise versa, when water vapour changes to water when heat is lost. Restorative Drying Note: In wet wall cavities for example, water vapour can form and condense in the upper part of the wall cavity when outside sun heats the wall cavity as water droplets. This condition can also be found in high humid buildings on ceilings and in attics. See Evaporation |
| Dry Air: |
The ambient air in a building's atmosphere that is acceptable after dehumidification. Restorative Drying Note: a) As it relates to water damaged buildings, it is the indoor air, and trapped air in wall cavities, partitions, cabinets, under subfloors and in attics, which has been returned back to its previous acceptable dry air state. b) As pointed out in Dri-Eaz Restorative Drying Manual, dry air weighs about 14 pounds per cubic foot at sea level. In psychometrics, dry air is used as a reference point. If the specific humidity of the air is 60 GPP, then the air is holding 60 grains of moisture in each pound of air. See Dehumidification, Grains of Moisture |
| Insulation: |
1) Building insulation is typically fiberglass, cellulosic materials, and sometimes rigid or blown-in urethane foam, having an average thermal rating of R-11, R-13, R-19 or R-30. Construction Note: Building insulation is found in exterior walls and attics, and sometimes under the floor joists of sub-floors. Wall insulation is found in the UBC Codes and meets different ASTM Standards. 2) Building insulation is any other property that provides moisture and thermal protection for a building. Safety and Construction Note: Wind driven rains to fog, will not enter the building, based on its design and engineering. This design and engineering of protecting the building atmosphere cannot take into account indoor water damages. Indoor water damages are considered sealed in a tight buildings insulated envelope, having no reasonable method of escape, either for the water, vapor, humidity and condensation. Once building insulation become wet, they must be investigated immediately and determined the best method for drying and dehumidification before mold and secondary building damage occur. Refer to the Moisture Control Handbook by Joseph Lstiburek; and Restorative Drying by Claude Blackburn, See Condensation, Dehumidification, Drywall, Wall Cavities, Water Damage |
| Vent: |
An opening which air is allowed to pass through freely. Vents are part of a buildings natural air intake and exhaust system. Vents are common to basements, crawlspaces, plumbing, attic and roof. |
The Disaster Advice Glossary and its contents are the protected copyright of Disaster Advice
The Disaster Advice Glossary operates on TechMerit Technoloy.
|
|
 |
|