Negative air pressure

More estimating & workflow terms

• Moisture meter

  A handheld tool that measures water in building materials, either by pins driven into the surface or by a non-invasive sensor pressed against it. Adjusters expect meter readings with the location, material, and dry standard noted, because the readings are what justify drying equipment on the claim.

• Mold remediation

  Removing mold growth and fixing the moisture source that feeds it, rather than wiping the surface clean. US restoration work normally follows the IICRC S520 mold standard for containment, removal and clearance checks, and clearance is usually confirmed by an independent third party.

• Ozone treatment

  Using ozone gas to oxidize the molecules that cause smoke odour after a fire, with people, pets and plants out of the space. It does not remove soot residue - surfaces still have to be cleaned first - and no US health agency approves ozone use in an occupied space.

• Pack-out

  Removing contents from a damaged home so they can be cleaned, stored, or inventoried while repairs happen. Pack-outs are billed by the item or by the hour, and carriers expect an inventory with quantities and condition, because undocumented contents are the easiest part of a claim to cut.

• Production orders

  The internal document that releases approved restoration work to the crew or subcontractor, listing materials, quantities, and scheduled dates. It should match the approved scope exactly, because a production order that adds or drops items creates a change the carrier never approved.

• Psychrometry

  The study of moisture in air: temperature, relative humidity, dew point, and how they interact. Restoration crews use those readings to set drying goals and prove a structure is dry, and the same readings are the evidence a carrier reviews when paying for drying equipment.

Common questions