SOP for Water Mitigation – Insurance Assignments – Equipment Set-Up and Monitoring
Description of Service
This SOP defines the procedures for the installation, documentation, and monitoring of drying and air-quality control equipment during mitigation. Proper equipment set-up is critical for achieving target drying conditions effectively, preventing secondary damage, and ensuring every deployed unit is billable, necessary, and justified per IICRC S500.
Billing & Compliance
Equipment shall be placed whenever moisture readings indicate levels above the established dry standard - regardless of cause - to confirm materials are stable and drying conditions are controlled.
All installed equipment must be visible and supported by photos, readings, and job notes.
DocuSketch “In Progress” tours are mandatory after each placement or removal.
Equipment must be logged into MICA/Mitigate with accurate timestamps for start and stop time. Equipment runtime continues until physically removed from the job site.
Specialty equipment (floor mats, injectidry, hydroxyls, desiccants, air scrubbers beyond standard usage) must be clearly supported by the “why” as well as called in for approval documentation where required (IT/WMU).
Example: “Hydroxyls placed due to persistent Category 3 odor; sensitive occupant - doctor’s note available.”
Initial Setup
a. Confirm that demo and cleaning are complete and all materials to be dried are clean and uncontaminated.
b. Establish the affected room(s), grouped into drying chamber(s), in MICA/Mitigate.
o Document the scope of damage in MICA/Mitigate to calculate equipment usage.
Minimum % damage of a given surface is 25%.
o When MICA provides an acceptable range of equipment (e.g. 5-7 Air Movers), always use the higher quantity.
o Record atmospherics: temperature (°F), relative humidity (%RH), and grains per pound (GPP) for the following areas:
Outside
Unaffected Interior
Affected Area(s)
o Record one moisture point for each affected material in each room (wood, drywall, concrete, etc.).
The documented reading should always be the highest reading found.
Special Circumstances
a. Following cleaning or sanitation steps, affected materials may exhibit elevated surface moisture readings due to recent liquid contact.
b. In any circumstance where readings indicate moisture above dry standard, drying equipment must be installed to ensure full evaporation and to confirm materials return to acceptable moisture levels.
c. Minimum acceptable placement:
a. 1 Dehumidifier per affected chamber
b. 2 air movers directed at treated surfaces
d. Monitoring standard (every other day) still applies.
e. Documentation should clearly reflect that equipment was set to stabilize affected areas and confirm dry conditions were achieved.
a. Example Note: “Elevated surface moisture observed in affected area. Set 1 dehumidifier and 2 air movers to stabilize and ensure return to dry standard.”
Monitoring
a. Monitoring will be performed every other day.
b. No weekend monitoring unless expressly required.
c. Only persons who are trained in MICA/Mitigate will be scheduled for monitoring trips.
d. At each visit, record the following in MICA/Mitigate:
o Inside/Outside/Unaffected Temp & RH
o GPP values
o Moisture content of key materials
o Operational status of each unit
e. Adjust equipment based on drying progress:
o If materials are still saturated, increase air movement, add a second dehumidifier, or add containment.
o As areas dry, all equipment will remain on site to maintain the effectiveness of the established drying strategy.
o Removal of equipment is not permitted unless authorized by the Project Specialist or management.
o DocuSketch photo tour must be updated any time equipment is added or removed.
f. Confirm filters are clean and units remain plugged into dedicated circuits. Confirm dehus are achieving at least 5 GPP, and dehu hoses are secured for drainage.
g. Trip Notes must reference both progress as well as target (e.g., “Down from 18% to 13%, DS = 10%”).
h. If drying must continue for more than 5 days, document the reason with a detailed note.
Dry Standard Policy
Dry Standard (DS) = The normal equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of a material in the same structure under unaffected conditions.
a. Drying is complete when affected materials are within ±1 percentage points (or equivalent relative scale) of the dry standard.
b. If any readings over the dry standard are detected, equipment must remain in place.
c. Dry Standard must be established during the initial visit: take at least two moisture readings on unaffected materials of each type (drywall, wood, concrete, etc.).
d. Alternatively, reference the following company defaults:
Material Type Dry Standard
Drywall 80–120 MC
Wood framing / baseboard 10–14% MC
Subfloor (OSB/Plywood) 10–14% MC
Hardwood 10–14% MC
Plaster / Lath 10–14% MC
Carpet Pad, Insulation, Laminate, LVP, Vinyl Not dryable; must be removed
Verification and Documentation Requirements
To close a job as dry, all of the following must be true:
a. Material readings are within 1 point of DS.
b. Atmospheric readings show decreasing GPP and stable RH below 40-45%.
c. Monitoring visits, readings, and equipment start/stop time are logged effectively in MICA/Mitigate to present the mitigation narrative.
Tip: Drying progress (trend data) is as important as the final reading. It’s what justifies additional billable days.
d. If drying has gone beyond 5 days, ensure that any relevant parties (such as IT/WMU) have been contacted to secure documentation of approval.
e. Final DocuSketch tour is uploaded showing all equipment pulled.
f. Final note has been posted, and compliance tasks have been marked complete.
SOP for Water Mitigation – Insurance Assignments – Cat 1 & 2
Description of Service
Category 1: Clean water from supply lines/appliances.
Category 2: Gray water with potential contamination (toilet overflow above trap, water through building materials, washer or dishwasher drain leaks).
Category 1 automatically escalates to Category 2 as soon as it contacts building materials. Therefore, every job we perform is Category 2 at a minimum.
If microbial growth is discovered, the loss becomes Category 3.
Billing & Compliance
Usually insurance-covered.
Program jobs require strict adherence to documentation and pre-approval SLAs.
Every task performed must be documented and billable.
Photo/video proof required.
Undocumented work costs the company money.
Document the “why.” All documentation must take place while still on-site.
Initial Inspection
a. Clock-in to the correct job in WorkForce. Refer to job number on Teamup if necessary.
b. Review Teamup notes.
c. Call or text the customer when you are en route to provide expected ETA.
d. Mark off all required Compliance Tasks as the job progresses.
e. Be sure you are in uniform. Put on shoe protection before entering the home.
f. Confirm and document Cause of Loss (COL), with labeled photo added to the job file.
o Has the COL been stopped/fixed?
g. Capture overview photos.
o Exterior/Front of House, including House Number
o Overview photos of all affected room(s) – shot from all four corners of the room
o Detail photos of damage
h. Record atmospheric conditions (temp/RH): Outside, Unaffected Interior, Affected Interior. Take photos of the readings.
i. Identify class of water loss and extent of spread. Take moisture readings on affected materials.
o Moisture Map with blue tape
o Take photos of readings
j. Capture “Before” DocuSketch tour.
o Starting outside the front of structure, sketch all affected rooms, any connecting rooms (e.g. hallway), all continuous flooring connecting to affected areas, and the full path of entrance/exit to the loss area
k. Evaluate whether any emergency services must be performed right away.
o Extraction of standing water, demo of collapsed ceilings, etc.
l. Evaluate whether any other vendors will be needed for mitigation to proceed.
o Plumber, Roofing, Packout, Asbestos Testing, etc.
m. Create and upload Initial Inspection Note.
n. Enter the Preliminary Scope as notes per each individual room of the DocuSketch tour. Re-sync to the cloud.
Safety & Compliance Requirements
a. PPE: Half-Face Respirator at a minimum to be used during all demo.
b. Electrical hazard awareness – avoid standing water near outlets.
c. Check for any structural hazards from water damage.
d. No special certifications required for Cat 1, 2; but follow OSHA/ANSI protocols.
Tools, Equipment & Supplies
a. Moisture meters (pin and pinless)
b. Hygrometer
c. DocuSketch camera kit
d. Thermal imaging camera
e. Extractor (regular and weighted)
f. Air movers (centrifugal or axial)
g. Large or XL dehumidifiers
h. Air scrubber (used during all CAT 2 demo, or for sensitive occupants)
i. Containment materials (6-mil plastic, zippers, tape, lay-flat ducting, containment poles)
j. Floor protection (ram board, poly, etc.)
k. PPE (gloves, booties, goggles)
l. Documentation tools (phone/iPad, PuroLogic, DocuSketch)
Day 1 Pre-Approved Actions
These items can always be performed, with owner’s permission, claim number, and signed work authorization. Insurance pre-approval is not required. Any items not included on this list should be discussed with management for planning purposes.
a. Emergency extraction
b. Stabilizing equipment (dehumidifier, fans, floor mats, air scrubber when insured has sensitivities)
c. Removal of wet carpet pad, laminate/LVP, toekicks, baseboard, and drywall when insulation is present.
d. Equipment should always be set – a dehu or air scrubber at a minimum, even if the job is not yet sold.
Step-by-Step Execution Guide
1. Setup
a. Introduce team to homeowner, explain process.
b. Perform Initial Inspection detailed in #3 above.
c. Have customer sign the Work Authorization.
d. Lay down floor protection.
o Path for ingress/egress as well as the demo area
e. Set up containment to enclose the drying chamber, and/or to contain the demo area.
o Use tension poles rather than tape, whenever feasible
f. Call WMU/IT for specialty approvals, if applicable.
2. Demo / Cleaning
a. If the structure was built prior to 1990, asbestos testing is required before demo.
b. Containment will be installed prior to any demo.
c. Start Air Scrubber and put on half-face respirator before performing any demo.
d. Perform controlled demo where necessary. Use a vacuum while making cuts to help control particulate.
o Carpet pad must always be removed
o Laminate flooring
o MDF baseboard/trim
o Vinyl flooring (to remove particleboard underlayment)
o Toekicks
o Drywall, if insulation is suspected
o Insulation
e. HEPA vac affected areas.
f. Treat affected areas with mild antimicrobial.
g. Bag up all demo debris. Sweep/vacuum floors.
h. Take an updated “In Progress” DocuSketch photo tour, showing all demo completed. (This can wait until after equipment placement if both are being performed in the same visit)
3. Equipment Setup
a. Equipment quantities will be calculated using MICA/Mitigate.
b. Every drying chamber must have a dehumidifier and 2 fans at a minimum.
c. If hardwood flooring is affected, set Floor Mat System(s).
o If it is engineered hardwood, and has been wet for more than 24 hours, Floor Mats will not be effective and the flooring will need to be removed.
d. Set air movers at 4-5 linear feet apart (wall or floor layout).
e. Set dehumidifiers based on conditions and cubic footage of the drying chamber(s), as calculated by MICA.
o Make sure the hose is secured properly to the machine as well as at the drain site.
o Let the dehu run for about 15 min to acclimate, then take a photo of the Inlet/Outlet readings panel.
Inlet Temp needs to be at 65° or greater
Outlet Temp should be 80° or greater
GPP must be 5 or greater
f. Air Scrubber should be used during demo only. Leaving it in place beyond demo will require special approval from insurance in order to be billable.
g. Take another updated “In Progress” DocuSketch photo tour, showing equipment placement.
4. Monitoring
a. Drying equipment will be monitored every other day.
b. Before leaving the property, advise the customer that the office will contact them to schedule the next visit.
c. Program Jobs require us to call in for Extended Drying Approval when drying will exceed 4 days.
d. At each visit: record atmospheric and material moisture levels.
o Updated Inside/Outside/Unaffected RH/Temp readings
o Take photos of atmospheric and moisture content readings
e. Adjust equipment based on drying progress.
f. If equipment is added, significantly changed, or removed, take an updated DocuSketch tour.
5. Takedown & Final Steps
a. Confirm all materials are fully dry to company standards (per meter readings).
o Take photos of readings
b. Clean and remove equipment.
c. Take updated “Final” DocuSketch showing the conditions we are leaving the job site.
d. Perform final walk-through with customer.
e. Have customer sign the Certificate of Satisfaction.
f. Ask for a 5-Star Review if they are satisfied!
g. Upload final photos and Job Completion note to PuroLogic.
h. Mark off final Compliance Tasks.
SOP for Water Mitigation – Insurance Assignments – Cat 3
Description of Service
Category 3: Grossly contaminated water containing pathogenic, toxic, or other harmful agents.
Includes water from sewage, drain lines, flooding, or any water with visible or suspected microbial growth.Any water containing fecal matter, organic debris, or originating from an unverified source is automatically Category 3.
Any visible microbial growth escalates a loss to Category 3.
Any water from a drain, waste line, or sump is Category 3, even if it appears clear.
Any water coming from the exterior of the home to the interior (roof leak, groundwater, etc) is escalated to Category 3.
Billing & Compliance
Almost always insurance-covered if claim is filed promptly and documented properly.
Program jobs require strict adherence to documentation and preapproval SLAs.
Every task performed must be documented and billable.
Photo/video proof required.
Undocumented work costs the company money.
Document the “why.” All documentation must take place while still on-site.
No drying of contaminated materials. Only clean and dry remaining structural elements (framing, subfloor) after removal and sanitation.
Initial Inspection
a. Clock-in to the correct job in WorkForce. Refer to job number on Teamup if necessary.
b. Review Teamup notes.
c. Call or text the customer when you are en route to provide expected ETA.
d. Mark off all required Compliance Tasks as the job progresses.
e. Be sure you are in uniform. Put on shoe protection and a respirator before entering the home. If sewage has been reported, put on Tyvek suit as well.
f. Confirm and document Cause of Loss (COL), with labeled photo added to the job file.
o Has the COL been stopped/fixed?
g. Capture overview photos.
o Exterior/Front of House, including House Number
o Overview photos of all affected room(s) – shot from all four corners of the room
o Detail photos of damage
h. Record atmospheric conditions (temp/RH): Outside, Unaffected Interior, Affected Interior. Take photos of the readings.
i. Identify class of water loss and extent of spread. Take moisture readings on affected materials.
o Moisture Map with blue tape
o Take photos of readings
j. Capture “Before” DocuSketch tour.
o Starting outside the front of structure, sketch all affected rooms, any connecting rooms (e.g. hallway), all continuous flooring connecting to affected areas, and the full path of entrance/exit to the loss area
k. Evaluate whether any emergency services must be performed right away.
o Extraction of standing water, demo of collapsed ceilings, etc
l. Evaluate whether any other vendors will be needed for mitigation to proceed.
o Plumber, Roofing, Packout, Asbestos Testing, etc
m. Create and upload Initial Inspection Note.
n. Enter the Preliminary Scope as notes per each individual room of the DocuSketch tour. Re-sync to the cloud.
Safety & Compliance Requirements
a. PPE: Half-Face Respirator to be used during inspection. Tyvek suit, gloves, respirator (P100 or equivalent), and waterproof footwear are required for cleaning and demo.
b. Containment: Full 6-mil plastic containment with air scrubber setup prior to demo.
c. Maintain HEPA air filtration and negative pressure throughout mitigation. Air scrubber must remain on site until drying is complete.
d. Electrical hazard awareness – avoid standing water near outlets.
e. Check for any structural hazards from water damage.
f. No special certifications required for Cat 3, but follow OSHA/ANSI protocols.
Tools, Equipment & Supplies
a. Moisture meters (pin and pinless)
b. Hygrometer
c. DocuSketch camera kit
d. Thermal imaging camera
e. Extractor (regular and weighted)
f. Air movers (centrifugal or axial)
g. Large or XL dehumidifiers
h. Air scrubbers (minimum one per 500–750 sq. ft.))
i. Containment materials (6-mil plastic, zippers, tape, lay-flat ducting, containment poles)
j. Floor protection (ram board, poly, etc.)
k. PPE (Tyvek suits, respirators, gloves, booties, goggles)
l. Documentation tools (phone/iPad, PuroLogic, DocuSketch)
m. Biohazard waste bags and labeled disposal containers
Day 1 Pre-Approved Actions
These items can always be performed, with owner’s permission, claim number, and signed work authorization. Insurance pre-approval is not required. Any items not included on this list should be discussed with management for planning purposes.
a. Emergency extraction or muck-out
b. Stabilization (set up containment, dehumidifier, air scrubber)
c. Removal of non-salvageable affected materials: visqueen, carpet and pad, laminate, vinyl, LVP, baseboards, toe kicks, door trim, flood cutting of drywall and insulation
d. Sanitizing of affected surfaces with antimicrobial
e. Equipment should always be set – a dehu and air scrubber PER DRYING CHAMBER at a minimum, even if the job is not yet sold. (Crawlspace drying chamber does not require air scrubber.)
NOTE: Do not remove cabinetry, hardwood, or hard tile without specific approvals. If these materials are affected, clean and sanitize them as thoroughly as possible to stabilize until the scope of work can be communicated to the insurance adjuster.
Step-by-Step Execution Guide
1. Setup
a. Introduce team to homeowner, explain process.
b. Perform Initial Inspection detailed in #3 above.
c. Have customer sign the Work Authorization.
d. Lay down floor protection.
o Path for ingress/egress as well as the demo area
e. Set up containment to enclose the drying chamber, and/or to contain the demo area.
o Use tension poles rather than tape, whenever feasible
2. Demo / Cleaning
a. If the structure was built prior to 1990, asbestos testing is required before demo.
b. Containment will be installed prior to any demo.
c. Place floor protection for the path from point of entry to damage area.
d. Start Air Scrubber and put on half-face respirator before performing any demo.
e. Perform controlled demo where necessary. Use a vacuum while making cuts to help control particulate. Remove all porous materials that came into contact with Category 3 water.
o Drywall: minimum 2 ft flood cut
o Flooring: Carpet/pad, laminate, vinyl, underlayment, LVP, and hardwood must be removed. Hard tile may be salvageable.
o Insulation: remove all wet insulation
o Cabinets and vanities: toe-kicks and particleboard components must be removed; solid wood may be cleaned if structurally sound
f. HEPA vac affected areas.
g. Treat affected areas with disinfectant, allowing proper dwell time.
h. Wipe and re-vacuum cleaned areas.
i. Bag up all demo debris. Sweep/vacuum floors.
j. Take an updated “In Progress” DocuSketch photo tour, showing all demo completed. (This wait until after equipment placement if both are being performed in the same visit)
3. Equipment Setup
a. After sanitation is complete, equipment quantities will be calculated using MICA/Mitigate. Equipment cannot be set until contaminants have been removed.
b. Every drying chamber must have an air scrubber, dehumidifier, and 2 fans at a minimum.
c. Set air movers at 4-5 linear feet apart (wall or floor layout).
d. Set dehumidifiers based on conditions and cubic footage of the drying chamber(s), as calculated by MICA.
o Make sure the hose is secured properly to the machine as well as at the drain site.
o Let the dehu run for about 15 min to acclimate, then take a photo of the Inlet/Outlet readings panel.
Inlet Temp needs to be at 65° or greater
Outlet Temp should be 80° or greater
GPP must be 5 or greater
e. Air Scrubber must be used during demo and remain on site for the duration of drying. This means each drying chamber must have its own air scrubber.
f. Take another updated “In Progress” DocuSketch photo tour, showing equipment placement.
4. Monitoring
a. Drying equipment will be monitored every other day.
b. Before leaving the property, advise the customer that the office will contact them to schedule the next visit.
c. Program Jobs require us to call in for Extended Drying Approval when drying will exceed 4 days.
d. At each visit: record atmospheric and material moisture levels.
o Updated Inside/Outside/Unaffected RH/Temp readings
o Take photos of atmospheric and moisture content readings
e. Adjust equipment based on drying progress.
f. If equipment is added, changed, or removed, take an updated DocuSketch tour.
5. Takedown & Final Steps
a. Confirm all materials are fully dry to company standards (per meter readings).
o Take photos of readings
b. Clean and remove equipment.
c. Take updated “Final” DocuSketch showing the conditions we are leaving the job site.
d. Perform final walk-through with customer.
e. Have customer sign the Certificate of Satisfaction.
g. Ask for a 5-Star Review if they are satisfied!
h. Upload final photos and Job Completion note to PuroLogic.
i. Mark off final Compliance Tasks.
6. Key Notes for Maximized Scope & Documentation
a. If microbial growth is visible, treat as Category 3 without exception.
b. Drying without demo is never permitted in a Category 3 environment.
c. Each containment zone should justify its own equipment setup.
d. Always include photos of source, contamination, demo depth, HEPA vac, chemical used, and air machines.
e. Document the “why” in every note: “Removed drywall to 2 ft to ensure removal of all contaminated materials per IICRC S500.”