Air Date: 3-7-2014 | Episode: 318
This week on IAQ Radio we take an in depth look at the new IICRC Journal of Cleaning, Restoration and Inspection and discuss the cover article “The Role of Vapor Pressure and Enthalpy in Wood Drying” with the author Mr. Jerry Blaylock. Joining us along with Mr. Blaylock is the Journal’s current Managing Editor, John Downey…
Full Description:
This week on IAQ Radio we take an in depth look at the new IICRC Journal of Cleaning, Restoration and Inspection and discuss the cover article “The Role of Vapor Pressure and Enthalpy in Wood Drying” with the author Mr. Jerry Blaylock. Joining us along with Mr. Blaylock is the Journal’s current Managing Editor, John Downey.
Edwin Jerry Blaylock, II is a Principal at the American Drying Institute, LLC in Morristown, TN. Since 2006 he has been offering water damage mitigation training, consultation and research for restoration contractors and insurance companies. During the same timeframe he has been working on drying theories and an algorithm designed to explain and predict how wood dries on water damage projects. His theories are derived from understanding lumber industry drying concepts and the physics of drying. Listeners are encouraged to check out the new journal and the cover article prior to the show at the following link: http://digitaladmin.bnpmedia.com/publication/?i=198021.
John Downey is Managing Editor of the new IICRC journal and is a past guest on IAQ Radio. John is a well known figure in the disaster restoration industry, he was the founder and publisher of Cleanfax magazine and since selling that publication has been a noted industry speaker and served as a member of the IICRC Board of Directors.
Z-Man’s Blog:
Provocation, Evaporation & Education
According to John Downey managing editor of the IICRC’s “Journal of Cleaning, Restoration & Inspection” the group’ motivations for creating the technical journal were twofold: 1) demonstration of appreciation to the instructors & schools, master cleaners & restorers and certified firms who are the organization’s loyalist constituents and 2) “to add to the body of knowledge” (the words of IICRC President Patrick Winters). When I first heard about the journal, I admit to being somewhat skeptical. During the interview John used the word provocative in reference to a strategy for the journal.
Jerry Blaylock, of the American Drying Institute has developed drying theories and an algorithm to explain and predict how wood dries on water damage restoration projects, was the author of a paper in the journal.
Nuggets from John:
- The IICRC felt the need to fill a barren area, provide more timely peer reviewed technical offerings than are provided in the organizations standards. The journal is not consensus based.
- Each issue will try and have something for the IICRC’s major constituencies.
- Model for the journal can be considered “scientific journal light.
- The journal can be provocative: causing discussion, thought, argument, etc.
- Peer reviewers for articles are subject matter experts. Subject matter experts may be instructors, PhDs, or found in the ranks of IICRC’s MOU [memorandum of understanding) partners.
- The first two issues of the journals will be available for free.
Nuggets from Jerry:
- Citing, putting a “square peg in a round hole Jerry’s goal for his paper is to raise awareness and get more students into his courses, create dialogue and debate.
- Jerry has a “foot in the ditch” by working with drying contractors.
- Jerry posed the question which of 3 boys, weighing 70, 90 and 115 pounds using teaspoons to empty 5 gallons of buckets of water, would perform the task the fastest to demonstrate the importance of having the necessary information to give an accurate answer.
- According to Jerry, the gist of his journal paper is what causes the moisture evaporation process in wood products.
- Jerry has performed and documented an experiment involving “3 drying chambers”, in which he claims that contrary to accepted industry theory that materials in the chamber with the highest GPP dried the fastest.
- Measurement of the weight of dry air versus the EMC formula which measures temperature & partial vapor pressure.
- Jerry, said the US Forestry research is concerned with the drying and conversion of green lumber into dimensional size without checking or warping.
- According to Jerry who referenced the Handbook of Industrial Drying, “yes, wet wood has an enthalpy” which can be measured in BTUs per pound.
- GPP doesn’t determine drying efficiency.
- GPP is a powerful metric to measure dehumidification performance.
- Jerry advocates taking moisture readings deep within wood materials and the use of: a laser thermometer, a pin type moisture meter and thermo -hygrometer to measure temperature of materials.
- Jerry opines that: the energy transfer rate of materials is important.
- Jerry opines that the “classes of moisture” in the IICRC S500 are subjective and furthermore that the S500 should be broken into two separate documents: standard of care and the reference document /guidelines.
Jerry and I debated the pros and cons of “containment drying” versus “contiguous drying” (my terms). Jerry advocates using poly film, etc. to segregate wetted areas from unaffected areas he calls “drying chambers”. While I contend that unaffected areas are a “dry reservoir” which can aid drying.
I’ve been critical of IICRC committees for “making up stuff” and adding confusing and unnecessary complication into standards and course curriculum. The journal just may be a catalyst for discussion of theories and processes by a wider group of participants, a positive step in the right direction. I opine that practical information for use by techs in the field than high level scientific discussion.
Radio Joe and I would like to acknowledge and thank Ken Larsen for his help in preparing questions and discussion points for Jerry’s interview.
Today’s music: “Weather Songs, What is Humidity” by Tom Glazer, YouTube
Z-Man signing off
