KnowHow

Processes For Growing Restoration Companies

A portable extractor like the Esteam Floodmaster isn&rsquo;t just a &ldquo;budget&rdquo; alternative for flood extraction, it&rsquo;s a precision tool for places and conditions where a truckmount or pump‐out simply isn&rsquo;t practical. Deploying the right unit at the right time accelerates the entire drying cycle, limits secondary damage, and helps you hit performance targets demanded by insurance carriers and most importantly your customers.

Use A Portable Extractor For Water Extraction

When A Portable Extractor Is The Best Choice:
<ul>
<li>Tight or Vertical Access &ndash; high-rises, basements with limited exterior doors.</li>
<li>Sensitive Environments &ndash; hospitals, cleanrooms, senior care facilities where vehicle exhaust or long hoses are unacceptable.</li>
<li>After Hours Jobs &ndash; malls, office buildings where you can&rsquo;t leave entrance doors ajar for truckmount hoses.</li>
<li>Supplemental Extraction &ndash; pairing portables with weighted subsurface tools to finish edges and stairs after the truckmount handles the wide open areas.</li>
<li>Backup Plan &ndash; if your truckmount freezes, fails, or is already dispatched, the portable keeps crews productive.</li>
</ul>

When To Use

Rapid Bulk Water Removal
What it Means in the Field: &nbsp;A quality portable pulls 100 + CFM and &ge;140&Prime; water lift, taking gallons off the floor in minutes. The sooner the liquid is gone, the sooner drying equipment can do its job, shaving 12-24 hours off dry time.
Typical Scenarios: Standing water on slab, soaked carpet after a supply line burst, gym floors where every minute counts.
Access Where A Truckmount Can&rsquo;t Go
What it Means in the Field: &nbsp;You roll it down hallways, up stairwells, or into elevators - no 2 inch hoses snaked through doorways or security doors propped open.
Typical Scenarios: Highrise condos, downtown offices, hospital wings, winter jobs where an exterior door must stay closed.
Independent Power &amp; Water
What it Means in the Field: &nbsp;Runs on two standard 15A circuits and carries its own freshwater tank (if you&rsquo;re injecting solutions) for models capable of cleaning as well. No need for the client&rsquo;s outdoor spigot or long hose runs that freeze or clog.
Typical Scenarios: Cold weather events, remote wings of schools, facilities with limited exterior access.
Lower Cross-Contamination Risk
What it Means in the Field: &nbsp;Shorter hose runs mean fewer trip hazards and less chance of dragging Category 2/3 water through unaffected areas. You dump directly into a janitor&rsquo;s sink or toilet instead of an outside drain that can backflow.
Typical Scenarios: Sewage backups, food service areas, data centers with strict contamination controls.
Controlled Solution Pressure
What it Means in the Field: &nbsp;Portable pumps (100&ndash;500 PSI) give you just enough pressure to flush but not drive moisture deeper. Ideal when you&rsquo;re salvaging carpet &amp; pad under S500 guidelines.
Typical Scenarios: Category 1 water loss where the carpet system is being saved.
Quick Setup, Fast Teardown
What it Means in the Field: &nbsp;One technician can unload, wheel in, and be pulling water in &lt; 10 minutes. At job completion, hoses coil into the machine; no need to reel 150 ft of 2 inch vacuum line back onto the truck.
Typical Scenarios: Multi unit losses with several affected apartments; late night emergency calls where manpower is tight.
Cost Effective Fleet Addition
What it Means in the Field: &nbsp;Purchase price and operating costs are a fraction of a truckmount. You can stage multiple units across large footprints.
Typical Scenarios: Regional catastrophes where you split crews, program work where you need several simultaneous extractions.
Meets IICRC S500 Intent
What it Means in the Field: &nbsp;S500 emphasizes &ldquo;rapid removal of bulk water as the first priority.&rdquo; A portable with adequate lift/CFM satisfies this requirement, documenting moisture reduction before the drying phase.
Typical Scenarios: Any insured loss where you must show compliance with S500 standards during audits.

Advantages/Benefits Of Use

De-energize the area:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Why it matters: Prevent shock, arc-flash, or equipment damage&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Quick tips: Kill breakers to affected circuits; use a GFCI pigtail on the extractor if any doubt
PPE on:
Why it matters: Flood water is Category 2 or 3 until proven otherwise&nbsp;
Quick tips: Minimum: waterproof boots, nitrile gloves, and an N95
Inspect Sub-surface&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Why it matters: Avoid hidden moisture &amp; trip hazards&nbsp;
Quick tips: Probe padding, tack-strip, and wall bases before rolling gear in
Establish drainage&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Why it matters: Fast dump = fast production
Quick tips: Map the closest utility sink, toilet, or exterior drain you can legally use.

Preparation & Safety

Machine Setup:
<ul>
<li>Check filters &amp; gaskets &ndash; a clogged filter kills CFM and lift</li>
<li>Attach vacuum and discharge hoses to unit **discharge hose must go to a drain</li>
<li>Attach wand/tool to vacuum hose</li>
<li>Insert power cord plugs into 3 pin grounded outlet, separate circuits are required</li>
<li>Turn vacuums and discharge pump power switches on</li>
<li>Prime the vacuum (for dual-stage pumps) by briefly blocking the hose with your palm to build suction</li>
<li>Prior to extraction set hose runs straight, without sharp bends; keep lengths under 50 feet whenever possible to minimize friction loss</li>
</ul>
Note: Choose the right wand/tool:
<ul>
<li>Flood wand or squeegee head for hard surfaces</li>
<li>Low-profile carpet wand for open carpeted areas</li>
<li>Weighted subsurface tool (e.g., Water Claw) when you must save pad</li>
</ul>

Machine Setup

Hard Surfaces
<ol>
<li>&ldquo;Push, pull, overlap&rdquo;: Push a slow pass to move bulk water; pull back at half speed overlapping 50 %.</li>
<li>Follow the slope: Work your way toward floor drains or exit points to keep water from back-flowing.</li>
</ol>
Carpet &amp; Pad
<ol>
<li>Initial vacuum pass with carpet wand - slow, deliberate strokes (&asymp; 10 ft&sup2;/min).</li>
<li>Sub-surface pass (optional save-the-pad scenario): Place weighted tool, stand centered, count to 10 - 15 seconds before moving. Work in grid sections so you don&rsquo;t miss low spots.</li>
<li>Final strip pass around perimeter and under baseboard edges with a stair/upholstery tool.</li>
</ol>
Pro rule of thumb: A good portable extractor should pull &le; 12 oz of water per square yard on the final pass. If you&rsquo;re well above that, slow down.
&nbsp;&nbsp;

Extraction Techniques

Rushing passes &ndash; leaves wicking lines and extends dry time
Fix: Aim for a 3 - 4 second count per 3 ft stroke.
Skipping edge work &ndash; edges still wet&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Fix: Use a crevice/upholstery/stair tool along baseboards.
Ignoring hose seals &ndash; micro-leaks steal inches of lift
Fix: Carry spare hose cuffs, couplers and o-rings.
Wrong wand angle &ndash; too steep reduces lift, too flat causes chatter
Fix: Keep wand head ~7-10&deg; to floor

Common Pitfalls & Fixes

<img style="width: 217px; height: 217px;" src="https://d1d4x9xaxq9e85.cloudfront.net/image/draftjs/E201-FM001.jpg" alt="E201-FM001.jpg">
Key features for a portable extractor used in water extraction are the inches of water lift and submersible pump volume.
When chosing an Esteam Floodmaster sold by Safety Express you can put the following features to work for your business:
<ul>
<li>Rotomolded Polyethylene Housing</li>
<li>Dual 2-Stage Vacuums (150&rdquo; Water Lift)</li>
<li>Up to 65 GPM Discharge Pump</li>
<li>40 Litre (10 Gallon) Solution Tank c/w Solution Tank Cover</li>
<li>40 Litre (10 Gallon) Recovery Tank w/High Water Shut Off</li>
<li>Molded Poly Handle</li>
<li>3 Easy Lift Handles</li>
<li>Swivel Vacuum Tank Hose Connection</li>
<li>8&rdquo; Rear Anti-Static Wheels</li>
<li>4&rdquo; Front Anti-Static Swivel Casters</li>
<li>Quick Latch Body for Ease of Servicing</li>
<li>25&rsquo; of Electrical Cord</li>
<li>50&rsquo; of Discharge Hose</li>
<li>UL standard / CSA standard conformity</li>
<li>Optional 150 or 200 PSI Pump for Carpet Cleaning</li>
<li>Limited Lifetime Warranty on Body Housing</li>
<li>1 Year Limited Warranty on Major Components</li>
</ul>
Visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safetyexpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.safetyexpress.com</a> for more information
See attached documents and video link for Floodmaster product specifications and operating manual
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