Drieaz Turbovent 48 User manual

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OWNER'S MANUAL
SAFETY • WARRANTY
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS • MAINTENANCE
TURBOVENT 48
TURBOVENTS
INTERAIR DRYING SYSTEMS
For Walls, Floors, and Other Structural Areas
PURCHASE DATE: ___________________________________ SERIAL NO: ____________________________________________
DEALER: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
THIS MANUAL CONTAINS IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNINGS. PLEASE READ THESE WARNINGS
BEFORE USING THE TURBOVENT AND SAVE THIS MANUAL FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

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DRI-EAZ PRODUCTS • 15180 Josh Wilson Road, Burlington, WA 98233 • www.dri-eaz.com • [phone]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SAFETY INFORMATION......................................... 2
WARRANTY........................................................... 2
PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION ................................ 3
INSTALLING A TURBOVENT 48 ............................. 3
INSTALLING MINI-TURBOVENTS........................... 4
APPLICATION #1 –
DRYING WALL INTERIOR CAVITIES ................ 4
APPLICATION #2 –
DRYING WALL & CEILING SURFACES............. 5
APPLICATION #3 –
DRYING CEILING CAVITIES............................. 7
APPLICATION #4 –
DRYING WITH DUCTED AIR ............................ 7
APPLICATION #5 –
DRYING HARDWOOD FLOORS ....................... 7
MAINTENANCE.....................................................11
MOISTURE CONTENT MAP .................................11
Congratulations on your selection of the
TurboVent 48 or Mini-TurboVent system for drying
walls, floors and ceilings. It is our goal at Dri-Eaz
Products to offer you a product that will provide a
profitable return on your investment. We invite your
written appraisal and suggestions for improvements.
Reading this Owner's Manual will help you achieve
maximum results when drying structures. This manual
uses the word “TurboVent” to mean both the Turbo-
Vent 48 and Mini-TurboVents.
SAFETY INFORMATION
We strongly advise that you read your TurboDryer
Owner’s Manual before operation. Please pay particu-
lar attention to the safety information.
Failure to observe the safety warnings in your
manual can result in injury to persons, fire damage, or
damage to the TurboDryer. To reduce the risk of
electrical shock, fire, or personal injury, read and
follow each of the warnings in your manual before
using TurboDryers.
Keep TurboDryers Grounded: Always operate
TurboDryers with the three pronged grounding plug
and a grounded electrical outlet. Never remove the
three pronged plug, use an ungrounded extension cord,
or use an ungrounded adapter. The grounding pin on
the TurboDryer’s plug is an essential safety feature that
helps reduce the risk of shock or fire in the event of an
electrical hazard.
Keep Children Away: Do not allow children to
play with or around the TurboDryers. Be sure that
TurboDryer is inaccessible to children when left
unattended. Secure all areas in which TurboDryers are
left unattended while running.
CAUTION
Only TurboDryers from Dri-Eaz Products, Inc. can
be used with TurboVents. Other brands of airmovers
have not been tested by Dri-Eaz and may experience a
motor temperature rise that is unsafe in high pressure
applications. Dri-Eaz claims no responsibility if the
TurboVent is used with other than Dri-Eaz Turbo-
Dryers. The Snout Adapter for Mini-TurboVents fits
only the Sahara TurboDryer.
WARRANTY
One Year Warranty: Within one year of purchase,
Dri-Eaz promises to the original purchaser to repair or
replace any TurboVent 48 or Mini-TurboVent that is
defective in material or workmanship. During this
warranty period, Dri-Eaz Products, Inc. is responsible
for the costs of labor, material and shipping, required
to repair or replace the TurboVent. After 90 days, the
customer is responsible for shipping costs to Dri-Eaz
Products and labor at the prevailing hourly rate.
This warranty does not include normal wear and
tear to ducting or other parts. This warranty shall not
extend to any products showing effects of misuse,
alteration, corrosive chemicals, accident damage, fire,
normal wear, or any other causes beyond Dri-Eaz
Products' control.
Dri-Eaz Products, Inc. is not responsible for any
work performed or repairs effected upon any of its
products, by other than Dri-Eaz Products, Inc. or
authorized dealer personnel.
To receive warranty service, you must call for a
Return Authorization. No replacement item will be
shipped without an Authorization Number. No credit
will be made until the defective item is received.
The foregoing constitutes the entire warranty and
no other warranty, liability, contingency or responsi-
bility, direct, indirect, consequential or in any way
connected with the sale or operation of equipment
products is expressed or implied.

Direct warranty questions to an authorized dis-
tributor or Dri-Eaz Products, Inc. at [phone].
PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
The TurboVent is a wall and floor drying accessory
for Dri-Eaz TurboDryers. It is designed to increase the
rate of evaporation from slow drying areas. Using it,
you can achieve faster, more complete structural drying
while reducing damage to finished materials like
hardwood flooring or painted and papered walls.
Three primary methods of installing the TurboVent 48.
Mini-TurboVents can be used in the same ways.
1. Airflow can be directed under hardwood flooring
for subsurface drying.
2. Airflow can be directed across wall surfaces; it will
travel up the walls and across ceilings to dry both.
3. Airflow can be used to dry the interior cavities of
walls by directing airflow up the inside of walls via
openings cut at the baseboard level.
The principle of operation is to direct high volume
airflow from a TurboDryer across, under, or into wet
areas or surfaces. This airflow speeds evaporation as it
removes the cushion of moisture-laden air that hangs
near any wet surface.
This moist air is whisked away and dry (lower
humidity) air replaces it. This constant process of
removing moist air and replacing it with dry air draws
moisture out of permeable materials and significantly
speeds drying time. This reduces water damage to
floors, walls, and ceilings.
It is highly recommended that Dri-Eaz commercial
grade dehumidifiers be used in the area being dried.
The moisture that is moved away from the wet
materials should also be removed from the air. Dri-Eaz
dehumidifiers do this as they rapidly lower humidity.
Reducing the humidity is an important factor in
speeding up the drying process.
INSTALLING A TURBOVENT 48
Whether drying walls, ceiling surfaces or floors, the
TurboVent 48 is intended for use on the floor located
against a flat wall surface. Wall moldings and
baseboards must be removed to allow the vent opening
to fit flush against the wall. The TurboDryer must be
unplugged and turned off while attaching TurboVents.
NOTE:To avoid marring hard surface floors, place a
piece of foam pad under the base of the TurboDryer.
Attaching the TurboVent 48 to a TurboDryer
1. Remove baseboards and moldings, and drill holes
(see Application #3.) In most cases, it is not necessary
to remove carpeting.
2. Place TurboVent firmly against the wall so that oval
snout points away from the wall.
3. Attach the TurboVent to the TurboDryer by sliding
the TurboVent oval opening into the TurboDryer
snout. The TurboVent opening should fit snugly.
Attaching TurboVent 48 to TurboDryer.
4. There are two positions to use TurboVents. Make
certain that the TurboVent is in the correct position
with the air opening facing up or down as appropriate.
Floor Drying: When drying floor or wall cavities, the
TurboVent label should be facing up.
Wall Drying: When drying exterior wall surfaces, the
TurboVent should be inverted so that the label is facing
down toward the floor.
5. When using the TurboVent in a room with an
unfinished floor, a 2" block of wood nailed to the floor
will help maintain the TurboDryer in position.
6. Or, when on a finished floor, secure the TurboDryer
and TurboVent to the wall using two 1/2" eye screws
and a stretch bungee cord. The eye-screws should be
attached to the wall below baseboard level.
INSTALLING

MINI-TURBOVENTS
Installation procedures for Mini-TurboVents are
similar to those for the TurboVent 48. Remove mold-
ings and baseboards as needed to allow the vent
openings to fit flush against the installation surface.
The TurboDryer must be unplugged and turned off
while attaching Mini-TurboVents.
Attaching to a Sahara TurboDryer
Clip hooks to the grill. When not using an outlet, cover with
vinyl cap and a duct clamp.
The Adapter is fastened to the snout of any Sahara
TurboDryer by two hooks with springs.
If the TurboDryer has a wire grill (#1), position the
hooks so they are pointed horizontally, or side-to-side.
Fit the Adapter over the snout. Press the black knobs so
the hooks go slightly inward and hook onto the ring of
the grill for strongest attachment.
If the TurboDryer has a plastic grill (#2), position
the hooks so they are pointed vertically, or up-and-
down. Fit the Adapter over the snout. Press the black
knbs so the hooks fasten to any part of the grill.
The Adapter fits very snugly over the snout of the
TurboDryer to minimize air leakage.
Cut ducting to fit the job situation. 50 feet of
standard 4-inch residential dryer ducting (also available
locally at hardware stores) is included. For example,
the 50-ft. piece could make two 20-ft. plus one 10-ft.
sections, or two 15-ft. plus one 20-ft. sections. Attach
ducting with regular duct clamps (six provided) that
adjust with a screwdriver or nutdriver.
If using just one or two pieces of ducting, cover the
unused outlet(s) of the snout adapter with a vinyl cap
and duct clamp to prevent the escape of air.
Place Mini-TurboVent firmly into position. Be sure
each Mini-TurboVent is in the correct position with the
air opening facing up to dry walls with a sheet of air, or
down when forcing air into wall cavities or under
hardwood floors.
Typical Mini-TurboVent installation.
Each Mini-TurboVent can be fastened to a wall,
ceiling, or built-in using drywall or other type screws.
When attaching to a wall, angle the screws downward
so they enter the sill plate. The holes will be covered
when you replace the baseboard or cove base.
Using Mini-TurboVents in Series
Up to 9 Mini-TurboVents may be connected in
series from one TurboDryer – 3 from each outlet from
the snout adapter. (In the drawing above, two are
connected to one outlet.)
When properly hooked up, the actual airflow into
wall cavities or under hardwood floors is not great,
since the holes into which the air must flow are small.
This is the reason why up to 9 may be connected at one
time.
However, a higher static pressure TurboDryer (such
as the 1-hp. Sahara Pro, generating 3.0") will give
better results than one with lower static pressure (such
as the .4-hp Sahara, generating 1.5").

APPLICATION #1
DRYING CAVITIES IN
WALLS AND BUILT-INS
A major use of TurboVents is for drying the interior
cavities of walls, built-ins, and other structural voids.
The TurboVent forces air into a cavity through holes
cut in the drywall or toe-kick at the baseboard level.
Air then flows into the interior areas, circulating
through wet insulation, drywall, and framing. In built-
ins, the air helps dry particle board, plywood, drawers
and doors. Mini-TurboVents will fit the toe-kicks of
built-ins not less than 3.5” high.
Air from either the TurboVent 48 or Mini-Turbo-
Vents helps ensure that sensitive materials do not
deteriorate from exposure to moisture. It also prevents
delayed growth of mold, mildew, and wood rot from
moisture left trapped in the wall. It is usually necessary
to also use surface drying measures at the same time.
Steps for Drying Interior Cavities
1. Locate Moisture Problems
Use an appropriate moisture meter to locate mois-
ture in drywall, plaster, or within structural cavities. A
non-penetrating meter will determine if the exterior
covering such as drywall is wet. A penetrating meter
may be needed to determine if insulation, sill plates,
and subfloor under sill plates are wet.
2. Remove Baseboards
Remove baseboards or cove base along the section
of wall to be dried. Mark baseboards and walls to
identify them for easy replacement after completion.
3. Cut Holes
Locate wall studs and open several holes between
each stud. Use a 1/2" to 1" drill bit and drill a series of
holes every 2" to 12". Just a single 1/2" hole per stud
cavity can be successful in many cases. Use more holes
and/or larger holes for more soaked or otherwise
difficult situations. The more holes you drill, or the
larger holes, the more air will enter the cavity for
drying. The air from the TurboDryer is forced through
these holes into the cavity. After the drying process is
completed the holes can be patched and then covered
with the baseboard pieces.
4. Install TurboVents
Install the TurboVent according to directions above.
5. Create ceiling ventilation openings
As the air is forced up inside a wall cavity it picks
up moisture from wet materials. This moisture-laden
air can be ventilated out of a wall cavity from small
holes made near the ceiling. Drill one or more 1/2"
holes through drywall or plaster between the studs.
These can later be filled and painted.
The step of creating ventilation openings may not
be needed, especially in walls with studs that are not
completely straight, or when studs have plentiful
openings for wiring or plumbing, so that air easily
"leaks" from one cavity to the next. This step may be
more necessary when drywall is glued to studs.
Both the TurboVent 48 (shown here) and Mini-TurboVents
can force air into wall cavities to dry wet materials.
Some commercial buildings use suspended ceiling
tiles above which the drywall ends, leaving an open
area for ventilation. If this is the case, no ceiling venti-
lation holes will be needed. Simply make certain that
the ceiling tiles are dislaced to allow for ventilation.
6. Install TurboDryer
Operate the TurboDryer on high speed according to
directions in the TurboDryer manual. Be sure to use a
TurboDryer with sufficient static pressure capacity for
this job. For example, a 1-hp Sahara Pro will force
more air into a cavity than a .4 hp Sahara.
7. Install Dehumidifiers
Commercial grade DrizAir or DriTec dehumidifiers
should be installed to reduce humidity and significantly
speed the drying process.
9. Monitor Progress
Periodically check the moisture content of the
materials inside the wall or built-in, using a profes-
sional moisture meter such as the Moisture Counter
and/or Moisture Pro..
9. Remove Equipment
Patch and restore wall surfaces; and replace base-
boards or cove base. Outside walls must normally be
repaired to meet fire code. Patching compounds and
tapes that meet code are available.
APPLICATION #2
DRYING WALL & CEILING
SURFACES
Another application for TurboVents is drying wall
surfaces. This is helpful for drying water damaged

walls or reducing drying time of wet surface applica-
tions such as paint and drywall texture.
The laminar (flat) air flow emerging from the
TurboDryer is approximately 18 inches wide and
expands as it moves away from the TurboDryer. Using
the TurboVent 48 attachment, the air emerges in a 48
inch wide pattern, over 2.5 times greater than the
TurboDryer alone. Using the three vents from a Mini-
TurboVent Kit, three 24-inch-wide swaths create a
total of 72 inches wide or more. Thus, a larger portion
of the wall is exposed to circulating air, resulting in
reduced drying time.
Preparing Water Damaged Wall Surfaces
Drywall texture, paint, and some wallpapers have a
low permeance characteristic which inhibits drying of
the drywall beneath. When such wall coverings are ex-
posed to water damage they may require special treat-
ment to increase their permeability and the rate of
evaporation when drying. The two basic treatments of
such wall surfaces are removal or perforation.
Removal of wallpaper or paint to allow for
complete drying is a labor intensive job that sometimes
can be avoided by using a simple wallpaper perforating
tool. This is a small roller with imbedded sharpened
metal spikes. When the surface of the wall is rolled
with this tool it creates thousands of small holes from
which water vapor can escape by evaporation. It is
recommended that the condition and cost of replace-
ment be evaluated before perforating wallpaper.
Steps for Drying Wall & Ceiling Surfaces
1. Mount the TurboVent to the Wall
Turn the TurboVent upside-down so that the label is
facing toward the floor. Attach the TurboDryer to the
TurboVent, and the TurboVent to the wall, according
to the instructions given under "Attaching TurboVent
to TurboDryer".
2. Start TurboDryer and Install Dehumidifiers
Start the TurboDryer according to instructions in
manual. Install commercial grade DrizAir dehumidi-
fiers to reduce humidity and significantly speed the
drying process.
Perforation Roller used to perforate paint or wallpaper on
a wall for increased permeability and faster evaporation.
3. Monitor Progress
A Moisture Pro non-destructive meter may be used
to periodically check the drying process. This will help
to determine if there is a need to relocate the
TurboVent system to reach slow drying areas.
NOTE:The high speed airflow from the TurboDryer
can cause ripples in wet paint. Adjust the speed to
prevent rippling.
4. Repair Wall Surfaces
Perforations made on painted walls can be repaired.
This is done by repainting with a mixture of the
matching paint and a small amount of drywall taping
compound. On a textured wall you can use a paint
roller with a 1" nap to effectively apply this mixture.
The first coat will tend to have a dull finish, and it may
be necessary to give the wall a second coat of paint.
Care should be taken when assessing the damage of
any wall. The homeowner may not want a wall cover-
ing perforated. The paint or wall paper may be no
longer available and some wall papers are extremely
costly to replace. Such considerations should be taken
when estimating the job. In these cases, if the exterior
wall covering is in good condition, you may consider
using the TurboVent to dry the wall from the inside
out. See the Application on drying Wall Cavities.
CAUTION
Always check for wiring and plumbing when
cutting openings into walls, floors or ceilings.

APPLICATION #3
DRYING CEILING CAVITIES
WITH MINI-TURBOVENTS
An important application of Mini-TurboVents is for
drying the cavities between ceiling joists.
Mini-TurboVents force air into a ceiling cavity
through holes cut into the drywall between joists. The
air then flows into the interior cavities. This airflow
circulates across wet insulation, drywall, and wood
framing. It helps ensure that the ceiling cavity is
completely dried, and prevents secondary damage from
the development of mold, mildew, and wood rot made
possible from trapped moisture. It speeds drywall
drying, and prevents disintegration, swelling, and
rusting of nails. It also helps reduce water damage to
electrical wiring and fixtures.
Using a Mini-TurboVent to dry ceiling cavities
Steps for Drying Ceiling Joist Cavities
1. Locate Moisture Problems
Use an appropriate moisture meter, such as the
Moisture Counter or Moisture PRO, to locate moisture
hidden in ceiling areas.
Make certain that drywall is not sagging, and that
all water has been allowed to drain from the ceiling,
prior to beginning drydown procedures.
2. Cut Holes
Locate ceiling joists and, between each, cut a series
of 1/2” holes every 2” to 12”. The air from the Turbo-
Dryer is forced through these holes into the ceiling
cavity. After drying is completed, the holes must be
patched and repainted.
3. Install Mini-TurboVents
Install Mini-TurboVents using drywall screws. Op-
erate the TurboDryer on high speed according to
directions in the TurboDryer manual.
4. Install Dehumidifiers
Commercial grade DrizAir dehumidifiers should be
installed to reduce humidity and significantly speed the
drying process.
5. Monitor Progress
Periodically check the moisture content of the
materials inside the wall using a moisture meter.
6. Remove Equipment
Patch and restore ceiling surfaces.
APPLICATION #4
DRYING WITH DUCTED AIR
FROM MINI-TURBOVENTS
Air forced through the ducting from Mini-
TurboVents snout adapter, but without the Mini-Turbo-
Vents themselves attached, can dry many areas.
Ducting from the snout adapter can be placed in
different compartments of built-ins such as cabinets, to
speed drying of these difficult-to-reach areas.
To introduce moving air into a crawl-space that is
otherwise difficult to reach, introduce the end of one or
more pieces of ducting into a hole in the floor and into
the crawlspace. Such a hole may be available if a
forced-air heating vent and a piece of the heating duct
is removed.
Drying Above Suspended Ceilings
1. Locate Moisture Problems
Use visual inspection, plus an appropriate moisture
meter, to locate moisture above suspended ceiling.
2. Install Mini-TurboVent Ducting
Displace a ceiling panel and insert the end of a
piece of ducting running from the TurboDryer,
WITHOUT a Mini-TurboVent attached.
3. Monitor Progress
The air from the ducting will speed drying in the
suspended ceiling area. Use a moisture meter to
periodically check the drying progress.
CAUTION
Use only TurboDryers from Dri-Eaz Products, Inc.
with TurboVents. Other brands have not been tested by
Dri-Eaz and may experience a motor temperature rise
that is unsafe in high pressure applications.
APPLICATION #5
DRYING HARDWOOD FLOORS
TurboVents are very effective for drying water
damaged hardwood flooring. Traditional restoration
practice at one time was to remove and replace all
water damaged hardwood flooring, despite the extreme
cost. With TurboVents most types of hardwood floors

can be completely dried, thereby eliminating the need
for expensive removal and replacement.
Frequently, after drying, some refinishing will be
required. This manual is not intended to provide in-
struction on hardwood refinishing. If you would like
more information on hardwood flooring installation
and finishing skills we suggest you contact:
National Wood Flooring Association
233 Old Meramec Station Road
Manchester, MO 63021. Phone [phone]
OR
National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Assoc. (NOFMA)
P.O. Box 3009
Memphis, TN 38173 Phone [phone]
Effects of Moisture on Hardwood
(techniques apply to 3/4 inch oak plank or strip hardwood
flooring.)
Hardwood floors, when subjected to water, can
stain, buckle, "cup", or "crown". This is caused by the
natural ability of the wood to absorb moisture.
Hardwood flooring is kiln dried by mills to an average
moisture content of 6% to 9% MC. This is the typical
moisture content of wood products found in household
environments. The moisture content of wood, however,
is constantly changing; it seeks equilibrium with the
changing humidity of the air. This is why you may
encounter moisture contents higher than 9%. A mois-
ture meter such as a Moisture PRO should be used to
determine levels of moisture in materials.
Grooves in the bottom of hardwood flooring strips allow
airflow to dry both the hardwood and the subflooring.
Moisture levels in wood vary from one location to
another, depending on the local climate. See the
Moisture Content Map at the end of this manual.
Hardwood expands in width in direct proportion to
the amount of water absorbed. Hardwood flooring
strips will cup as they expand away from the water.
Thus if the water is exposed to the surface, the cupping
action is concave (dish shaped). Or, if the moisture is
entering from the bottom surface, the flooring will cup
upwards in a convex shape or crown. Eventually, if left
unattended, cupped or crowned hardwood will become
permanently stressed and damaged.
NOTE: The length of time that the wood remains
saturated is a major factor in the amount of permanent
damage to hardwood flooring. It is strongly recom-
mended that the drying process be started as soon as
possible to prevent permanent damage.
With immediate attention, however, the properly
equipped restoration professional can often prevent
permanent damage to wood flooring exposed to water.
Using advanced restoration techniques, cupped and
crowned oak flooring can be restored to its original
attractive state without visible or permanent damage.
Problems in Drying Hardwood Flooring
TurboVent drying helps the contractor overcome
two factors that interfered with the ability to dry
hardwood flooring. First, it is nearly always nailed to
sub-flooring, preventing adequate access to the sub-
surface side. Secondly, the attractive finishes applied to
the surface of the wood are very effective moisture
barriers – having a very low permeance (ability to let
moisture pass through). These two characteristics of
hardwood flooring can effectively trap moisture.
Cupping and crowning action of wet flooring strips
provides subsurface air cavities and allows greater air flow.
Impermeable floor finishes are an obstacle to effec-
tive evaporation to drying the wood beneath. With
TurboVents, the contractor is able to direct a high vol-
ume airflow underneath the wood flooring to rapidly
dry the hardwood from the unfinished subsurface side.

Subsurface Drying of Hardwood Floors
Air travels from the TurboDryer through the Turbo-
Vent to the subsurface side of the flooring. The air is
forced beneath the floor via a narrow ventilation
opening cut in the flooring strips along a wall. Under-
neath the flooring, the air flows the length of the floor
through channels manufactured into the bottom of each
strip of hardwood.
Floor plan with TurboDryers and TurboVents in place.
The buckling action caused by swelling of the
flooring also creates temporary passages through which
air can flow. The air flow through these channels to
emerge from the opposite side of the room. It
discharges from another narrow ventilation opening cut
in the flooring at the opposite wall. These ventilation
openings are later covered by base board or molding.
Steps to Subsurface Dry Hardwood Floors
1. Select Location
The TurboVent must be located against a wall.
Choose a wall where the flooring strips end (not a wall
running parallel with the direction of the flooring).
To reduce buckling, use enough TurboVents so that
the entire wet area of the floor receives simultaneous
subsurface ventilation. To achieve this, interior walls
such as closets and refrigerator coves may need Mini-
TurboVents placed within them.
2. Remove Baseboards, Cove Base And Moldings
All moldings along the floor should be removed,
especially along end walls. A small pry bar works well
for removing moldings and baseboards. Stubborn
finish nails may be difficult to pull out and may have to
be pulled through the molding material. The holes in
the moldings may easily be filled with a matching
wood patch product.
NOTE: Mark molding pieces and wall with corres-
ponding numbers to assist in the reinstallation process.
3. Ventilation Openings
Frequently, flooring installers will leave an expan-
sion gap between the end of the flooring strips and the
wall. This gap is exposed when the baseboards or
moldings are removed. This gap becomes the ventila-
tion opening through which air will be forced under the
flooring. If no gap exists, one must be made. A gap of
3/16" must be available for effective hardwood floor
drying with the TurboVent.
4. Cutting Ventilation Openings
Cut a ventilation
opening using a circular
jamb saw. This saw al-
lows you to cut extreme-
ly close to the wall sur-
face, leaving an opening
that can later be covered
by baseboard molding.
The opening cut should
be approximately 3/16"
wide and run the length
of the area to be dried.
Cut a second opening on
the opposite wall to allow the moist air to escape.
Observe all recommended safety precautions when
using equipment of this type.
If you encounter a room without any baseboards,
install new ones to cover the openings after the job is
complete. When estimating such a job, remember to
include the cost of new baseboard plus installation.
5. Install TurboVents or Mini-TurboVents
Install TurboVents or Mini-TurboVents according
to directions above.
6. Cover Excess Openings
With the TurboVents in-
stalled, cover the excess
ventilation openings. Use
duct tape or an adhesive
backed foam tape to cover
ventilation openings next to
but not covered by the
TurboVent itself. This will
ensure that air is forced
under the flooring. Ventila-
tion openings along the
wall opposite TurboVents will be left uncovered to
allow moist air to freely flow out.
7. Install TurboDryer
Operate TurboDryer on high speed according to
directions in the TurboDryer manual. Be sure to use a
TurboDryer with sufficient static pressure capacity for
this job, such as the Sahara Pro-HP.
8. Install Dehumidifiers
Commercial grade DrizAir Refrigerant or DriTec
Desiccant Dehumidifiers should be installed to reduce
humidity and significantly speed the drying process.
Circular jamb saw used to
cut ventilation openings.
Cover ventilation openings.

When drying hardwood or structural wood, the
DriTec Desiccant is recommended because of its
capacity to reduce interior humidity even below 5%
Rh. Such exceptionally low humidity speeds up the
drying of moisture from dense materials which give up
moisture slowly.
9. Monitor Progress
As drying progresses, swelling and buckling should
subside. TurboVents may have to be moved occasion-
ally to reach slow drying sections of floor. A moisture
meter should be used to check and monitor the
moisture content of flooring.
10. Completing the Job
After the flooring is dry, the floor may need to be
sanded and refinished by a qualified technician. Upon
completion of refinishing, the baseboards and moldings
should be replaced to cover the ventilation gaps.
Effective Drying Area of Hardwood Flooring
One TurboVent 48 can effectively dry a section of
floor 48 inches or 4 feet wide; each Mini-TurboVent
can dry a section 24 inches or 2 feet wide. Either
method will dry a section of flooring approximately 10
to 12 feet long. If the section of floor is longer than 12
feet, you may need to use TurboVents at one end and
then move them to the opposite end of the floor.
Always check drying progress with a good moisture
meter.
Never direct two TurboVents towards one another
on the same section of floor; the airflows collide and
defeat each other, lowering evaporation.
Typically, any major water damage will require
multiple TurboVents. An important point to remember
is that time is extremely important; the faster you get
the wood dry the less chance there will be for perma-
nent damage.
With TurboVents there is generally no need for a
complete removal or refinishing of the hardwood.
Costs are reduced by eliminating the need for replacing
hardwood and finishes.
CAUTION
Do not allow children to play with or around the
TurboDryers. Be sure the TurboDryer is inaccessible to
children when left unattended. Secure all areas in
which TurboDryers are left unattended while running.
Surface Drying Hardwood Floors
While subsurface drying improves drying results,
the surface of the flooring provides a secondary
location for evaporation to occur. Already mentioned
are the difficulties in surface drying caused by buckling
action and impermeable wood finishes. There is a
method, however, to minimize damage to the finish
(and thereby minimize refinishing expense) while
increasing the overall rate of evaporation.
Using a wallpaper perforation roller, the surface of
the floor can be perforated with thousands of small
holes. These holes puncture the impermeable floor
finish, permitting water vapor to escape or evaporate
from the surface of the wood. After perforating,
TurboDryers should be placed in several locations so
that they blow air across the surface of the floor.
Dehumidifiers should also be used to reduce the
humidity in the area being dried. As mentioned earlier,
the moisture content of wood seeks equilibrium with
the humidity in the air. The dryer the air, the faster the
water evaporates from the wood.
Dehumidification equipment significantly speeds
the drying process. DrizAir refrigerant dehumidifiers
will often reduce relative humidity to about 40%. A
DriTec desiccant dehumidifier may reduce humidity to
under 10%, which is very helpful in rapid drying of all
woods including hardwood floors.
Tenting a Hardwood Floor
"Tenting" a hardwood floor can speed drying even
when TurboVents are used. The aim when tenting is to
reduce the amount of air being dried. Any
dehumidifier, and especially a DriTec Desiccant, will
reduce the humidity lower under a tent than when
forced to dry an entire room or structure.
Cover the affected area with sheet plastic, and
fasten securely with 2" painter's tape or other method.
TurboVents may be covered completely by the tent so
they use the super-dry air.
A DrizAir refrigerant dehumidifier may sometimes
be completely covered by the tent to trap the dry air it
is producing. However, the temperature under the tent
must be monitored, and not allowed to exceed 100°F
(38°C).
When using a DriTec desiccant dehumidifier, place
the DriTec outside the tent, and duct the warm, dry
process air into one corner of the tent. Connect a duct
to another corner of the tent and fasten the other end to
the air inlet (filter) of the DriTec. This forms a "closed
loop" that continuously dries the air under the tent, and
can bring the specific humidity below 10 grains per
pound. Leave a small opening in the ducting where it
enters the air inlet of the DriTec, to make up for the
reactivation air that is leaving the dehumidifier but not
entering the tent.
Permanent Damage to Hardwood Flooring
If the surface of the floor remains stressed in a
cupped, crowned or buckled condition after drying is
completed, it may remain so. In these cases, complete
resanding or even replacement will be needed,
followed by refinishing. Ensure that the moisture

content of the wood is at or below the required
percentage before refinishing. See note below and
check the Moisture Content Map on the last page of
this manual.
The length of time that a floor has been exposed to
moisture is a major contributing factor in whether the
floor can be returned to pre-flood condition. The
quantity of water is also a factor. These two elements
should be evaluated when assessing the level of
damage and the amount of repair required.
NOTE:Hardwood flooring should be allowed to reach
normal moisture levels (averaging approximately 9%)
before putty or finishes are reapplied. Moisture levels
typically are lower during the winter months due to
interior heating. Levels are higher in the summer
months. See the Moisture Content Map.
Cracks remaining after the drying process can
usually be repaired. A trained hardwood flooring tech-
nician can easily fill cracks with a wood putty material.
Cracks between boards may be normal. If the wood is
abnormally dry at completion of the drying process,
these cracks may disappear as dehumidification
equipment is removed and normal humidity increases.
MAINTENANCE
TurboVents require very little maintenance. For
best performance, keep unit clean and dry. Inspect
TurboVents periodically for cracks, holes, and tears in
the rubber trim and repair as necessary.
LEVELS OF MOISTURE CONTENT FOUND IN INTERIOR WOOD
In each pair of figures, the first is the percentage of average moisture content for wood used
indoors during January and the second is the percentage of average moisture content during
the month of July. Interior heating and weather variations result in lower moisture levels during
the Winter months and higher moisture levels during the Summer months.