The visible water is gone, the carpet looks fine, and someone told you a couple of fans would finish it off. But the studs behind the drywall are still reading wet, the subfloor is holding moisture, and the house smells a little off. Structural drying is how you get the framing, subfloor, and walls truly dry before anything gets closed up.
One free call connects you with an independent local specialist. Areas served include zip codes 50309 50314 50315 50316 50317 50310 50312 50313 50319 50321 50320 50311 50301 50302 50303 50304 50305 50306 50307 50308 50318 50328 50329 50330 50331 50332 50335 50340 50380 50381 50391 50392 50393 50394 50395 50396 50936 50940 50947 50950 50980 50981 50982 50983.

Drying is where most do-it-yourself cleanups fail. A Water Damage is a free referral service connecting you with independent, licensed and insured drying contractors near Des Moines who use psychrometrics, not guesswork, to decide where equipment goes and when it comes out.
LGR dehumidifiers, desiccants for tough jobs, and air movers placed with purpose, not just pointed at the wall.
The contractor records temperature, relative humidity, GPP, and material moisture each day, then adjusts equipment based on the numbers.
Each contractor runs an independent, licensed and insured business. Confirm both with the pro before equipment is set.
You will see equipment day rates and an estimated drying timeline before setup.

The goal is simple: get every wet material back to the moisture level of similar dry materials in the house, and prove it with readings.

Pin and pinless meters plus an infrared camera show exactly where water traveled, including under cabinets, inside walls, and across the subfloor.
Plastic containment creates a smaller drying chamber, so dehumidifiers work on a defined space and drying moves faster.
Small holes behind baseboards let injection systems push dry air into wall cavities, which can avoid tearing out drywall that is otherwise sound.
Floor mat systems and targeted airflow dry hardwood and plywood subfloors slowly enough to limit cupping and cracking.
Equipment stays until wet materials match dry standard readings. The final log becomes part of your insurance file.
Tell the dispatcher when the leak happened and what has been done so far.
A local contractor calls back with an arrival time and brings meters, a thermal camera, and an initial set of drying equipment.
The pro maps moisture, records dry standard from unaffected areas, calculates equipment needs, and gives you a written estimate.
Drying continues with daily monitoring until readings confirm the job is done.
Closing up wet framing is how mold starts.
A week of box fans did nothing. The pro found wet framing with infrared and dried it properly in four days.
Laura F.Hidden wet framing after leakThey drilled small holes behind the baseboards and pumped dry air into the walls. We did not have to tear out any drywall.
Kevin Y.Wall cavity dryingThe daily drying logs were detailed and made the insurance claim straightforward.
Mariah S.Insurance drying documentationThey saved our cupping hardwood with floor mats and patient drying.
Henry L.Hardwood floor drying

Typically three to five days, longer for hardwood, plaster, or concrete.
Household units move far less air and cannot reach the low humidity levels needed to pull moisture out of framing and subfloors. Drying slowly also gives mold time to grow.
Dry standard is the normal moisture reading of the same type of material in an unaffected part of the home. Drying is complete when wet materials match it.
GPP is a measure of moisture in the air. Lower GPP means faster drying.
It is loud and warm. Closing off the drying area helps at night.
No. A Water Damage is a free referral service that connects you with independent, licensed and insured local contractors who perform the drying.

Calls from Des Moines and zip codes such as 50309 50314 50315 50316 50317 50310 50312 50313 50319 50321 50320 50311 50301 50302 50303 50304 50305 50306 50307 50308 50318 50328 50329 50330 50331 50332 50335 50340 50380 50381 50391 50392 50393 50394 50395 50396 50936 50940 50947 50950 50980 50981 50982 50983 are routed to structural drying pros working locally.
Nearby cities are listed below.
