Some of the topics addressed during the opening event included: Equipment Rental and Profit Potential, New Technology/Equipment Advances, Establishing Standard Protocol, and Time & Cost Comparisons – Pad Pulling vs. Surface Drying. The topic of Mold and Mildew Growth/Risk and Liability was also covered and a discussion was conducted on Loss Assessment and Risk Classification, in addition to many other topics.
During the course, the pad was removed in one of the houses and dried using conventional methods, while the other house was extracted and dried with the pad in place using top-down, or Vortex drying. Technological advancements within the HydroLab include rooms designed with partial clear Lexam walls so work can be monitored from the classroom; specially designed incubators for studying mold; sensors placed in difficult-to-dry areas; and an on-site microbiologist to run continuous tests each time the buildings are flooded.
Other sections of the HydroLab will be dedicated to the study of any and all equipment used in the restoration field.