Water damage is stressful. We usually meet people on one of the worst days of their year, and we take that seriously.
But there is one part of the job that never gets old: the dogs.
Some of them inspect our equipment. Some of them inspect our shoes. A few have very strong opinions about our drying plans. With their families' permission, we've been taking photos for a while now, and it's time the rest of the crew got some credit.
One quick note. Names have been changed to protect the innocent. Our clients' dogs value their privacy, and frankly, some of them have reputations to uphold.
Adele Dazeem, Chief Positivity Officer
Sometimes the best ability is availability. It's one of Quick Dry's core values, and it resonated deeply with Mrs. Dazeem. Pets, hugs, pats and a low moisture reading sent her into a state of pure bliss. Her personal motto is "let it go," with one exception: standing water. That, she calls in right away. She also keeps our number on the fridge, which in this business is the highest honor there is.
Dottie, Containment Compliance Officer
Having spent years of paws-on experience with how fast mold can grow, Dottie was vigilant in ensuring her family wouldn't be exposed and that we adhered to her very high containment standards. She walked the full length of the plastic barrier and checked every inch of tape. We passed. She made sure we knew it was close.
Frost, Thermal Imaging Consultant
Frost likes things cool and insisted on lying half on the tile for our entire visit. Here's a fun fact she helped us demonstrate. A thermal camera shows cool spots, and a cool spot can mean evaporating moisture. It can also mean a large white dog. That's why we always confirm with a moisture meter.
Misty, Moisture Reading Reviewer
This is Misty right after we explained how far water can wick up a wall from a leak under the cabinets. Honestly, it's the correct reaction. We appreciated her candor.
Tsunami and Glacier, Rapid Response and Quality Control
Tsunami does not slow down for photos, which is why this is the best picture we have. Glacier, true to her name, stayed perfectly still and let her coworker handle the enthusiasm. Every good crew needs both.
Captain Humidity, Indoor Air Quality Consultant
Captain Humidity asked to be held at eye level so he could personally verify our hygrometer readings. He believes indoor humidity belongs between 30 and 50 percent. So does the EPA, so we didn't argue.
Wick, Vertical Moisture Specialist
Wick wanted to see exactly how high the water had traveled, so she stood up for a better look. Water climbs drywall the same way, quietly and higher than you'd expect. She found this very relatable.
Levee, Head of Security
Levee holds the line. Nothing gets past him, not water and certainly not an unvetted restoration tech. He sniffed our hand, thought it over carefully, and granted access. It was the most thorough background check we've ever had.
Cloudy, Client Liaison
Cloudy showed up to the walkthrough in her best plaid coat, which in Phoenix tells you how seriously she takes her work. She stayed on leash the whole time as a sign of professional respect. We felt underdressed.
Drizzle, Hardwood Floor Liaison
Drizzle wanted it on the record that she has lived on these hardwood floors her entire life and expects them to stay that way. She followed our tech from board to board while we checked for cupping. Once satisfied, she went back to supervising from the middle of the room.
Sandbag and Squeegee, Footwear Inspection Unit
Sandbag and Squeegee ran a joint inspection of our technician's shoes before we were cleared to set up. Squeegee took the right foot. Sandbag took the left. Then they glanced at the containment in the corner and signed off without comment.
Sir Drips-a-Lot, Executive Walkthrough Attendee
Sir Drips-a-Lot dressed for the occasion. He asked thoughtful questions about our drying plan and made one firm request, that no air mover be pointed directly at his hair. Request granted.
Brook, Baseboard Inspector
Brook is built closer to the floor than anyone else in her household, which made her our unofficial baseboard inspector. If there was moisture at floor level, she wanted to hear about it before we did. She's been a big believer in moisture mapping ever since.
Monsoon and Haboob, Seasonal Weather Team
Monsoon (front) wanted to be as close to the action as possible. Haboob (back) preferred to watch from a distance and judge. Like their namesakes, they showed up without warning and made the whole afternoon more interesting.
Mister, Carpet Extraction Witness
Mister has the face of someone who has seen a soaked carpet pad and will never be the same. He leaned on our tech for emotional support during the whole extraction. We allowed it. It's part of the service.
Splash, Intake Coordinator
Splash met us at the door, then at the chair, then at our knee. She wanted the full rundown: where the leak was, how long it had been going, and whether snacks would be involved. We answered two out of three.
Torrent, Skeptic in Residence
Torrent has the look of a dog who has heard "it's probably nothing" before. He sat at attention through the entire walkthrough and didn't relax until he saw the moisture readings for himself. We respect a dog who asks for proof.
Sump, Credentials Verification
Sump ran a close-up facial scan on every member of our crew before allowing entry. Our technician cleared it. His jeans are still under review.
Ripple, Kitchen Leak Detection
Ripple spends most of his day in the kitchen for reasons entirely unrelated to plumbing, which makes him an excellent early warning system. He would like full credit for noticing the floor was wet. Catching a leak early is the difference between drying a floor and replacing it, so he's earned it.
Dewey, Dry Zone Supervisor
Dewey ran his whole operation from the couch, which he has declared a dry zone and an equipment-free zone. We respected the boundary. He kept one eye on our dehumidifiers the entire time so they knew he was watching.
Sprinkles, Contract Negotiations
Sprinkles negotiated a firm rate of one treat per equipment check. She held up her end of the deal and sat perfectly still for every reading, which is more than we can say for some of our air movers.
Spritz, Documentation Review
Spritz requested a face-to-face meeting to go over the estimate. She had concerns. We showed her that every line item was backed by photos and moisture readings. She remains skeptical of everyone, but she did lick the clipboard, which we're counting as a signature.
Pitter, Ceiling Observer
Pitter stared at the ceiling for most of our visit. We asked if she'd heard dripping. She declined to comment. We checked anyway, and it was completely dry. She was just thinking about treats.
Rain and Puddle, Senior Management
Rain (back) handles client relations, which mostly means sitting handsomely and gazing out the window. Puddle (front) is in charge of morale and takes the job lying down, with her stuffed sidekick close by. Between the two of them, nobody on our crew went un-leaned-on.
To every dog who has ever supervised one of our jobs: thank you. You were all very good.
And to their humans, if water ever shows up somewhere it shouldn't, give us a call. We'll bring the equipment. Treats are negotiable.
