Information on Water Damaged Paper Materials

When you have a large amount of books and papers in your home, knowing how to salvage these items in case of a flood or hurricane is a good idea, especially if these items are old or of any particular sentimental value. Most cellulose-based materials react basically the same way to water: they absorb it. But, depending on what exactly the material is made out of, how old it is, and what condition the paper was in before it was submerged into the water. Knowing as much as you can about your book collection, particularly if it contains antique books or other paper materials, will help you be able to save these items should a catastrophe occur.

Some materials can absorb anywhere from 10 percent all the way up to 200 percent of their original weight in water. Any papers or books that were made before the year 1840 can absorb some fairly large amounts of water, up to around 80 percent. These older materials are also very sensitive to mold growth after they have been under water for some time.

The majority of the damage to books is the block of papers that make up the pages of the book becoming partially or wholly detached from the binding of the book. This happens because the water that was absorbed by the papers and the cardboard binding causes them to swell up and the glue used to bind them together no longer holds the pages in their intended places. This is usually noticed once the materials have already started to dry out by themselves and the humidity in the local environment falls under 70 percent.

If the books that you own are old and are made of leather or vellum, these can usually be salvaged as long as you use some carefully controlled drying techniques. Very old leather and vellum materials should not be mixed up with other newer materials of the same nature, since new leather covered books are usually chemically treated in some way.

When you start trying to dry out your books and papers after a flood is over with, the first thing that you need to do is try to stabilize the area as far as humidity. The humidity should be lowered to around 65 percent and any standing water that still exists in the home should be gotten rid of as quickly as possible. If the humidity outside is lower than it is inside, opening the doors and windows should also help.

Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Miami water damage restoration companies and
mold remediation companies across the united states.