CodeBlue has two Structural Drying Laboratories known as "floodhouses" which are located in Eau Claire, WI, at the Chippewa Valley Technical College and Springfield, OH, on the campus of Clark State Community College. These are 1800 square foot homes built outdoors so that trainees can learn how outdoor conditions affect indoor drying as they use the industry's latest drying technology to mitigate a real water loss.

These homes are completely furnished and are flooded with over 1500 gallons of water on structural materials and contents simulating a real water loss claim. A wide variety of building materials are showcased to illustrate the effect of water damage on different materials. A concrete subfloor, a finished basement, and a crawlspace are flooded so trainees can learn different strategies in drying depending on the type of construction. Some of the construction materials included are: real oak wood floors and cabinets, plywood subfloors, 1x8 plank subfloors, 6 different types of carpet and cushion, engineered wood flooring, ceramic tile installed over cement board and plywood and concrete, sheet vinyl, vinyl composition tile, different thicknesses of drywall, and plaster installed over wood lathe with another layer of drywall installed over the plaster.

Industry Testing
CodeBlue performs industry technology testing at the structural drying laboratory. During the hands-on training, students get to see how different equipment (from variety of different equipment manufacturers) compares in a completely independent, unbiased atmosphere. They also get to see and test some of the latest procedures used by contractors, such as applied structural drying compared to desiccant and heat drying.

Trainees learn how to hold contractors accountable to the type, amount, and amount of time drying equipment is used on a water damage mitigation project Interesting fact, the most popular dehumidifier being used by contractors today has been proven to not be very effective and insurance carriers have wasted millions of dollars on equipment rental charges that weren't necessary. Students also see this demonstrated first hand during the hands-on training.

The class is very interactive and trainees can select what equipment or meters they want to see tested. Sophisticated moisture meters are used to judge the extent of the damage and track progress. Digital and Infrared photographs are taken as the trainees learn how to hold contractors accountable to industry standards and how to build a detailed and defensible claim file.

If you are interested in attending an upcoming training session, please visit http://www.hsgcodeblue.com/floodhouse.aspx to learn more about the course curriculum.

For a list of upcoming training dates, please visit http://hsgcodebluetest/HSGCBEvents.aspx.