As hurricane season continues to cause major damage to the homes and buildings in the South and Northeast, the need for water loss mitigation is becoming more and more in-demand. Hurricane Ida has been projected to have caused over $90 billion in damage, putting it as the seventh costliest hurricane since 2000.
Hurricane season only lasts from June to late November; water mitigation is a year-round issue. That is where a Water Loss Specialist (WLS) comes in. With highly specialized skills such as project management and drying techniques, a WLS is a necessary member of any restoration team.
The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) offers restorers a comprehensive Water Loss Specialist Advanced Certification Program to teach all the skills needed to become a WLS.
WHY THE WLS PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT
While the RIA WLS program focuses on topics like microbial remediation and building science to give restorers a more complete education on water loss, the program truly stands out by going beyond on-the-job experience, allowing restorers to become experts in the field.
“What I think restorers need to understand is that when you have a Water Loss Specialist designation, you have reached, essentially, the pinnacle of water mitigation in terms of technical classroom knowledge-and you are now proving your knowledge on paper,” said Chad Brandt, WLS, a General Manger of PuroClean of Chandler. “There is no higher certification in the water mitigation industry than a WLS.”
For Robb Harrell, WLS, XCT, MWR, Director of Operational Improvements and Technology at ATI, the WLS Certification expands restorer skill sets to be ready for even the most extreme water loss situations.
“It better prepares you for those hurricane and storm situations other restorers who don’t have their WLS will not be able to handle,” Harrell said.
Harrell emphasizes extreme situations come in all shapes, such as plumbing emergencies and fire suppression systems. For example, in the winter months when heating elements are more widely used, homes are more prone to fires. Fire departments, in trying to oust a fire, may cause major water damage with their firehoses.
“Hurricane season is just a small sliver of time,” Harrell said. “Water loss restoration is needed for all time periods.”
As for who should take the highly sought after WLS program, Brandt recommends anyone in a supervisory role, since supervisors are making decisions that can affect the outcome of the job at hand.
TEACHING THAT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND
The Water Loss Specialist Advanced Certification Program’s focus expands beyond water damage and digs into the finer details of laws, contracts, and other aspects that deepen the knowledge of any restorer.
For example, a restorer’s vehicle, when crossing over state lines, may be labeled a commercial vehicle in the eyes of the Department of Transportation (DOT), even if the vehicle doesn’t have a DOT number on it. This in turn allows motor carrier enforcement officers to apply DOT rules on a vehicle.
“I think when you’re new to the industry, you don’t really understand much about laws and regulations,” Brandt said. “So, understanding how that pertains to everything we do;
that’s where it starts, and that’s where it ends with these legally-binding contracts.”
Students of the program will learn that each state has different regulations. For example, in Louisiana, restorers must provide a copy of the Consumer Advisory to every home or property owner.
The WLS courses are taught by some heavy hitters in the restoration industry like Ken Larsen CR, WLS, FLS, CLS, CMP, David Sweet WLS, FLS, CMP, Lorne
McIntyre CR, WLS, FLS, CLS, CSDS, and Pete Consigli CR, WLS, experts who have decades of experience in the restoration field and only want the industry to grow.
That level of detailed education was important for Brandt and Harrell when deciding to take the program. And, for Brandt, the WLS courses went into more depth than he could have ever imagined.
“I was seeking some higher-level principles, guidelines, and knowledge almost on a scientific- and engineering- type level,” Brandt said. “The program was so intriguing; I could not take enough notes.”
For Harrell, the biggest takeaway was not only improving his skills as a restorer but the relationships that he created through the classes.
WLS IMPORTANCE FOR HURRICANE-PRONE AREAS
Still, restoration as a field is most paramount during the most extreme emergencies. The WLS program provides restorers a deep understanding of how to tackle major disaster areas.
A WLS designation teaches restorers more than just day-to-day structural drying. It positions restorers as drying experts on every level – including during CAT events like hurricanes.
“What the program does in a hurricane situation is it differentiates your skill set versus your competitors, at dealing with unusual contaminated water that comes from a hurricane event,” Harrell said.
That expertise shows in the understanding of work needed before a hurricane or major storm even hits an area.
Harrell explained that a WLS takes into consideration multiple points when a major weather event is about to occur. How much water will it bring? Fast wind speeds? A combination of the two? What about all the different types of materials possibly affected by a hurricane, which include hardwood flooring, ceramics, and more? What about regional weather’s influences on building structures, or how the environment influences building design and restoration?
A WLS can answer all those questions.
“The atmospherics can get away from you fast if you aren’t closely monitoring your drying systems and progress, in a hurricane environment, because not only do you have high humidity, but you’re also going to have different building materials and building envelopes- since most restorers will be coming from other parts of the country for CAT events,” Brandt said. “So, you need to know where you’re driving the energy, where you’re driving the moisture, and what effect this has on the structure, materials and overall cost of the project.”
One way a WLS prepares is staging equipment, putting it in an area that is safe and out of a storm’s reach, but close enough to the affected area that restorers can mobilize after the storm.
CONCLUSION
Water loss mitigation is a year-round process that will never stop. With floods, heavy rainstorms, and hurricanes that can cost millions if not billions of dollars of damage, it is now more important than ever that restorers achieve their Water Loss Specialist certification.
For more information on RIA certifications, visit www.restorationindustry.org.
