Applied Structural Drying study plan
Applied Structural Drying · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Psychrometrics and Drying Science
Define and correctly use the core psychrometric properties (dry-bulb, wet-bulb, dew point, relative humidity, humidity ratio, enthalpy, specific volume) without notes
Read a psychrometric chart to locate state points from any two given properties and state which other properties can then be derived
Explain how temperature change alone shifts relative humidity while humidity ratio stays constant, and compute the resulting RH at a new temperature
Describe the difference between evaporation and evaporation-driven cooling, and predict the effect of airflow and heat on each
Your checkpoint
A one-page cheat sheet mapping each psychrometric property to its chart axis or curve, plus five worked chart-reading problems with answers
Psychrometrics and Drying Science
Calculate dew point spread and explain what a narrowing spread means for secondary water damage risk
Distinguish open, closed, and combination drying systems and justify when each is appropriate
Explain the role of vapor pressure differential in driving drying and how to increase it safely
Predict condensation risk on cool surfaces given a room's dew point and surface temperature
Your checkpoint
A decision table comparing open, closed, and combination systems with at least three selection criteria and one worked dew-point example each
Moisture Inspection, Monitoring and Documentation
Select the correct moisture meter mode (pin, pinless, or thermo-hygrometer) for a given material and explain its limits
Establish a drying goal for a wet material using a dry standard from an unaffected area
Sketch a monitoring grid for a room and justify meter placement and count
Interpret daily moisture readings to decide whether a drying system is working or needs adjustment
Your checkpoint
A sample monitoring log for a mock room with a grid sketch, dry-standard readings, and a written interpretation of a three-day trend
Moisture Inspection, Monitoring and Documentation & Psychrometrics and Drying Science
Document pre-existing conditions and moisture findings in a defensible, photo-supported format
Write a concise daily drying report that ties psychrometric readings to moisture trends
Explain how to avoid cross-contamination and meter damage during monitoring
Review a mock project file and identify gaps in documentation
Your checkpoint
A complete mock project file: initial inspection notes, monitoring log, and a two-page summary report with charted trend
Drying System Design, Equipment and Airflow
Size air movers for a given wet area using airflow principles and justify placement for a drying vortex
Compute the required number of dehumidifiers from a room's volume, conditions, and target drying goal
Design an airflow layout that avoids dead zones and short-circuiting
Select between refrigerant and desiccant dehumidifiers for different temperature and humidity scenarios
Your checkpoint
A system design worksheet for a mock 400-square-foot water-damaged room: air mover count and placement map, dehumidifier sizing calculation, and rationale
Drying System Design, Equipment and Airflow & Project Management, Safety and Customer Communication
Explain how to balance a drying chamber so pressure and airflow support drying without spreading contamination
Draft a safety plan covering electrical, slip, PPE, and confined-space hazards
Describe how to set up containment and negative pressure for a category 3 loss
Write a customer-facing explanation of why drying takes multiple days
Your checkpoint
A one-page safety and containment plan plus a 150-word customer script for a category 3 water loss
Project Management, Safety and Customer Communication
Build a project timeline with monitoring checkpoints and decision gates for when to stop drying
Practice explaining scope, cost drivers, and insurance documentation to a homeowner
Identify common causes of failed or prolonged drying projects and the corrective action for each
Outline an escalation path when a drying goal is not met on schedule
Your checkpoint
A project management plan for a mock loss with timeline, checkpoints, and a written escalation procedure
Psychrometrics and Drying Science & Moisture Inspection, Monitoring and Documentation & Drying System Design, Equipment and Airflow & Project Management, Safety and Customer Communication
Complete a timed 60-question mixed-domain practice set and score at least 80 percent
Review every missed question and write a corrected explanation for each
Re-derive the psychrometric and sizing calculations from memory
Summarize each domain's key decision rules in your own words
Your checkpoint
A scored practice exam with a written review log of every missed item and a final one-page domain summary
Milestones
Week 2: Can read a psychrometric chart and justify open versus closed drying without notes
Week 4: Can produce a complete mock project file with monitoring log and trend interpretation
Week 6: Can size air movers and dehumidifiers for a mock room and defend the layout
Week 8: Scores at least 80 percent on a timed mixed-domain practice set with a complete review log