Restoration Terms — Tri-Tech Restoration & Construction

A

Abatement: The controlled removal or reduction of a hazardous material — such as asbestos, lead paint or mold — following safe-handling and disposal rules.
Air Mover: A high-velocity fan used to push air across wet surfaces, speeding evaporation during structural drying.
Air Sampling: Collecting and testing air to measure contaminants such as mold spores, used to verify a space is safe before and after remediation.
Antimicrobial: A treatment applied to surfaces to inhibit or kill mold, bacteria and other microorganisms and help prevent regrowth.
Atmospheric Sanitation: Treating the air in a space to neutralize odors and airborne pathogens, often with hydroxyl or ozone equipment.

B

Biohazard: Biological material — such as sewage, bodily fluids or medical waste — that poses a health risk and requires trained, protected cleanup.
Bioremediation: Using biological agents, like enzymes or microbes, to break down contaminants and clean an affected area.
Board-Up: Securing broken windows, doors and openings with panels after a fire, storm or break-in to protect the property from weather and intrusion.

C

Category 1 Water: Water from a clean, sanitary source such as a supply line or faucet. It is safe at first but degrades to a higher category the longer it sits.
Category 2 Water (Gray Water): Water carrying meaningful contamination — from a dishwasher, washing machine or sump-pump failure — that can cause illness and needs sanitizing.
Category 3 Water (Black Water): Grossly contaminated water such as sewage or flood water. It is a health hazard and requires containment, disposal and full disinfection.
Class of Water Loss: An industry rating (Class 1 to 4) describing how much water is present and how hard it is to dry, based on the materials affected and the rate of evaporation.
Containment: A sealed barrier — usually plastic sheeting under negative air pressure — built around a work area to keep mold spores, dust and debris from spreading.
Crawl Space: The shallow, unfinished area beneath a raised floor that provides access to plumbing and wiring and is a common site for moisture and mold.

D

Dehumidification: Removing water vapor from the air so wet materials can release their moisture and dry to a normal level.
Dehumidifier: The machine that pulls humidity out of the air during drying; commercial units remove far more moisture than a household model.

E

Encapsulation: Sealing a treated surface or material with a specialized coating to lock in any remaining residue and prevent future contamination.

G

GPM (Gallons Per Minute): A measure of water flow rate, used to gauge how fast a leak or a piece of equipment moves water.

H

HEPA Filtration: High-Efficiency Particulate Air filtration that captures very fine particles, including mold spores and soot, to clean the air during restoration.
Hydroxyl Generator: A deodorizing machine that produces hydroxyl radicals to break down odor molecules; safe enough to run in occupied spaces.

I

IAQ (Indoor Air Quality): A measure of how clean and healthy the air inside a building is, affected by moisture, mold, particulates and ventilation.
IICRC: The Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification — the body that sets widely used standards and certifies restoration professionals.
Incidental Damages: Secondary losses that follow from the primary damage, such as spoiled food or extra living expenses after a covered event.
Independent Adjuster: A claims adjuster hired to evaluate a loss on behalf of the insurer but who is not an employee of the insurance company.
Infrared Drying: A drying method that uses infrared heat to warm and evaporate moisture from surfaces, sometimes used for stubborn or delicate areas.
Investigative Demolition: Selectively opening walls, floors or ceilings to find the full extent of hidden damage so it can be properly repaired.

J

Joist: A horizontal structural member that supports a floor or ceiling; joists can warp or weaken when saturated.

L

Latent Damage: Harm that isn't visible right away and shows up later, such as mold growth or wood rot behind a wall.

M

Mechanical Contractor: A licensed specialist who installs and repairs a building's mechanical systems — heating, ventilation, air conditioning and plumbing.
Mildew: A thin, surface-level fungal growth, typically the early or mild form of a larger mold problem.
Mitigation: The immediate work done to stop damage from getting worse — extracting water, tarping a roof or boarding up — before full repairs begin.
Moisture Content: The amount of water held in a material, measured to track drying progress and confirm a structure has reached a safe, dry standard.
Moisture Meter: A handheld instrument that measures how much moisture is in building materials, used to map wet areas and verify drying.
Mold Remediation: The process of containing, removing and cleaning mold, then correcting the moisture source so it doesn't return.
MVOC: Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds — the odorous gases mold releases as it grows, often the source of a musty smell.

N

Negative Air Machine: A HEPA-filtered unit that lowers air pressure inside a containment area so contaminated air is filtered rather than escaping into clean space.
Non-Bearing Wall: An interior partition that divides space but does not carry the building's structural load, making it easier to remove or rebuild.

O

Odor Counteractant: A specialized agent that chemically neutralizes odor molecules rather than masking them with fragrance.
Ozone Treatment: Using ozone gas to oxidize and destroy odor-causing molecules in an unoccupied space; the area must be vacated during treatment.

P

Permeance: A rating of how easily water vapor passes through a material, which determines how it should be dried.
Plenum: The air-distribution chamber in an HVAC system; when contaminated, it can spread smoke, mold or odor throughout a building.
Protein Fire: A low-temperature kitchen fire from burned food or cooking oil that leaves little visible soot but a strong, hard-to-remove odor.
Psychrometry: The science of air, temperature and humidity that restoration technicians use to set up and control effective structural drying.
Puff Back: A sudden misfire in an oil furnace that blows soot and oily residue throughout a home's interior and HVAC system.
PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride): A common rigid plastic used for water and drain piping and many building materials.

R

Rafter: A sloped structural timber that supports the roof deck and covering.
Relative Humidity (RH): The percentage of moisture the air is holding compared with the most it could hold at that temperature — a key drying measurement.
Remediation: The full process of cleaning up and correcting environmental damage, most often used to describe mold or hazardous-material work.
Restorative Drying: A controlled, monitored drying process designed to save structure and contents rather than tear them out and replace them.
Roof Tarping: Covering a damaged roof with heavy tarp as an emergency measure to keep weather out until permanent repairs are made.

S

Secondary Damage: Damage that results from the initial loss when it isn't addressed quickly — like mold, warping or rot following untreated water.
Seepage: The slow infiltration of water through a foundation, wall or floor, often a sign of a drainage or waterproofing problem.
Septage: The waste contents of a septic system; a Category 3 biohazard requiring specialized cleanup.
Soot: The fine black or brown residue left by smoke and fire that clings to and corrodes surfaces until it is professionally removed.
Sporicide: A cleaning agent formulated to kill mold spores as part of remediation.
Subfloor: The structural layer beneath your finished flooring; when it stays wet it can warp, rot or grow mold.
Sump Pump: A pump set in a basin at the low point of a basement or crawl space that moves collected water away from the structure.

T

Thermal Fogging: A deodorizing method that heats a solvent into a fog which penetrates the same porous surfaces smoke did, neutralizing trapped odor.

U

ULV Misting: Ultra-Low Volume misting — equipment that disperses a disinfectant or deodorizer as a fine mist to reach large or hard-to-access areas.
Unsalvageable: A material or item damaged beyond practical repair, documented for the claim and then removed and replaced.

V

Vapor Barrier: A material that blocks moisture from passing through walls, floors or crawl spaces, helping prevent condensation and mold.

W

Warping: The bending or distortion of wood and other materials caused by absorbing and then losing moisture unevenly.
Waterproofing: Applying barriers or coatings that keep water out of a structure, commonly used on foundations, basements and crawl spaces.
Wet/Dry Vacuum: A rugged vacuum built to pull up both liquids and debris, used for smaller-scale water extraction.