How we investigate.
Source determination, moisture mapping and thermal imaging: the building science behind a dry house. What each one is, what it can and can't tell you, and where the facts come from.
"The key to mold control is moisture control."source [14]
That line is from the U.S. EPA, and it is why we start with the water. Drying a house that is still being wet from somewhere is wasted work. EPA's advice when water is seeping into a space: locate and fix the source of the water promptly.source [14]
Source determination
Finding where the water came from, and whether it is still coming. Was it one pipe that failed this morning, or something slow that has been running for weeks? The answer shapes the drying plan, and it also matters to the insurance conversation: the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) says most home policies cover sudden and accidental water damage, and most don't cover damage from gradual leaks or seepage.source [8]
Houston Public Works publishes two simple ways to check for a hidden leak: the meter test and the toilet dye test.source [12] Both are on this site.
On site, source determination means following the water backward. We look at where the damage is worst, which lines and fixtures are nearby, and whether the pattern fits one event or a long-running one. We record what we find rather than guess at it.
Moisture mapping
Surfaces can look dry while the material behind them is not. EPA's drying guidance is to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours, because when wet materials are dried in that window mold will usually not develop.source [14] FEMA says a wet area should dry completely, usually two to three days, before you rebuild.source [3] A map of readings is how you know the drying is finished.
Moisture mapping means taking readings across walls, floors and ceilings, and recording them against a floor plan so the wet area has an edge you can see. Readings are repeated as drying proceeds, which shows progress, and shows when it is done.
Thermal imaging
An infrared camera shows differences in surface temperature. The apparent temperature of wet spots is lower than that of the surrounding building materials, so moisture can show up as cooler areas in the image, even when nothing is visible to the naked eye.source [15]
An infrared image is not a moisture measurement. The same source says thermal imaging should be used together with a moisture meter, and that a suspect area found by thermal imaging is verified with the meter.source [15] That is how we use it: the camera tells us where to look, and the meter tells us whether it's wet.
Moisture also moves. Leakage at one point will likely affect other areas as it spreads, so the same source advises checking downstream areas, and saving each infrared image together with a regular photo for the record.source [15]
Forensic documentation
A claim, and a repair, both stand on records. TDI says to take pictures or video before making repairs, and to keep damaged items until your adjuster has seen them.source [8, 9] FEMA's flood-insurance program lists what to capture: wide shots and close-ups, water marks, serial numbers, material samples and receipts.source [2] The full checklist.
Our records pair each thermal image with a photo of the same spot, carry moisture readings by location and date, and note what we observed about the source. They describe what we measured and saw. They do not argue coverage. That is the insurer's decision, and Texas law keeps contractors out of the adjuster's role.
Keeping humidity in range
EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent, and notes it can be measured with a moisture or humidity meter sold at many hardware stores.source [14]
For the first hour, start with the checklist.