Our Document Restoration Services

Desiccant Air Drying

In this process, the frozen documents are removed from the packing cases and placed on racks and shelves. Applying desiccant dehumidification, the room atmosphere is maintained at about 20°C and 12% humidity. Desiccant dehumidifiers use the changing vapor pressures to dry air continuously in a repeating cycle. In so doing, the dry air created in the room removes the moisture from the documents. Depending on the amount of moisture and documents being dried, the process can take from one to seven days to complete.

Cleaning and Sterilization

Cleaning removes any dirt, grime, or fungi spores. Polygon Restoration’s trained staff clean each document using materials such as sponges and scrub pads while avoiding the use of liquid solutions that would reactivate the moisture in the materials. In cases with mold spores, individuals follow standard procedures for spore removal, including the use of High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuum systems. If the materials have been exposed to hazardous waste or black water, they can be treated with gamma irradiation. Documents exposed to gamma irradiation will have no chemical residue and are considered sterile. 

Vacuum Freeze Drying

The vacuum freeze-drying process is the most efficient and effective method for the drying of wet papers and other documents. Using this method, Polygon Restoration technicians can restore water-damaged materials quickly and effectively, reducing back processing time by 20 to 30 percent. During this process, the materials are placed in an airtight chamber into which negative vacuum pressure is induced. As a result, the documents go from the frozen state to being dry without ever becoming re-liquefied. This method is especially beneficial in cases where documents may warp or distort.