What proper drying looks like
- Commercial dehumidifiers sized to the room, not a box fan and an open window.
- Air movers pointed along walls and under cabinets.
- Small holes drilled at the base of walls, or baseboards pulled, so air reaches wet cavities.
- Daily moisture readings on the same spots, written down, until they match dry areas of the house.
Drying usually takes three to five days. Pulling equipment early because the carpet feels dry is the most common way a water job turns into a mold job.
Signs the house is still wet
- A musty smell that comes back after the windows are closed.
- Baseboards or trim swelling or pulling away from the wall.
- Paint bubbling, or drywall that feels soft when you press it.
- Hardwood cupping, with the edges of boards higher than the middle.
- Dark spots at the bottom of walls or on the back side of cabinets.
If you see any of these after a leak that someone else "dried out," call for a second look.
What to tell us when you call
- Where the water is coming from, if you know (pipe, water heater, washer, toilet, sump, rain).
- Whether it is clean water or sewage.
- Which rooms and floors are wet, and roughly how long it has been wet.
- Whether the water is shut off and the power to wet rooms is off.
- Your street or nearest cross street in Lawrence, so the right local crew picks up.
Stay on the line for a couple of minutes. That is usually all it takes to get matched with a local company that can send someone out.
Free to call. No obligation to hire anyone.
Lawrence humidity and finished basements
Eastern Kansas summers are humid, and that makes drying slower and mold faster. A basement that would dry in a few days in a dry climate can stay damp for weeks here if it is left to air out on its own.
Finished basements in the newer parts of Lawrence are the most common spot for hidden moisture. Carpet over slab, framed walls tight against concrete, and a drop ceiling hiding the pipes all trap water. In older houses near downtown, plaster walls and old wood framing hold water differently than drywall, and they can take longer to dry.
If you already had water cleaned up and something still smells off, the company you reach can bring moisture meters and give you a straight answer on whether the structure is dry.