About Pure Flow Water Damage & Restoration

David Donegan started this company after one specific March call. A Rose Creek homeowner in Riverton — a 2004 Ivory Homes build with a finished basement family room — woke at 5:40 a.m. to standing water across 84 square feet of carpet. The previous restoration contractor had been on site for eleven hours the day before, hauled out three saturated pads, and quoted $18,700 for drywall replacement to 24 inches above the base plate on all four walls. David arrived at 6:15 a.m., ran a Delmhorst BD-2100 pin meter across the drywall in a 6-inch grid pattern, and found elevated readings only in the bottom 4 inches — 18 to 22% moisture content in the base plate zone, dry above that line. A FLIR C5 thermal scan of the joist bay above traced the actual source: a hairline crack in a 1997 Trane air handler’s PVC condensate drain running through the ceiling assembly. He tented the affected 84 square feet with a Phoenix R150 LGR dehumidifier and two Phoenix Focus air movers, hit target moisture content of 12% in 71 hours, cut a 6-inch access panel to replace 14 inches of Schedule 40 PVC, and closed the job for $2,140. That gap — between what the moisture readings actually show and what the customer gets quoted — is the reason this company exists.

The Founder — David Donegan

David holds Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) contractor license #13845621-5501 (S220 Small Commercial & Residential classification) and personally holds four IICRC certifications for water and microbial restoration work: WRT (Water Damage Restoration Technician) #234561, ASD (Applied Structural Drying) #234561, AMRT (Applied Microbial Remediation Technician) #234561, and FSRT (Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician) #234561. Pure Flow operates as an EPA-Certified Lead-Safe Renovation Firm (#NAT-F189543-1) for the roughly 3,700 pre-1978 homes remaining in southwestern Salt Lake County where lead-based paint disturbance during structural drying triggers RRP disclosure requirements.

He has worked in residential and light-commercial restoration across the Salt Lake Valley since 2013, founding Pure Flow Water Damage & Restoration in 2024 after eleven years running crews for two mid-market restoration firms serving the Wasatch Front. His technical stack: continuing education hours logged annually with IICRC for the current ANSI/IICRC S500 (Water Damage Restoration) and S520 (Mold Remediation) standards. Cross-trained in ANSI/IICRC S700 for fire and smoke damage under the 2024 revision. Restoration-chemistry certifications for post-fire content pack-outs.

The discipline shows up in how every job runs. Measurement before extraction. Documentation before demolition. A drywall panel reading 14% moisture content on a Wagner Meters MMC220 non-invasive pinless meter is a different job than one reading 24% at the same depth — both look identical to the naked eye. Most restoration firms cut. We measure first.

Why the Salt Lake Valley Breaks Generic Water Damage Restoration

Water damage in Riverton doesn’t behave the way it does in Phoenix, Denver, or Boise. Equipment tuning, drying strategy, and demolition thresholds calibrated for lower-elevation dry climates or Gulf-humidity climates will underperform here for reasons that are physics and chemistry, not opinion.

Wasatch Snowmelt at 15–25 Grains per Gallon

Riverton’s municipal water originates as snowpack in the Wasatch Range — specifically the Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, and Parley’s canyon drainages feeding the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District treatment plants. Finished-water hardness measures 15 to 25 grains per gallon, heavily loaded with calcium and magnesium carbonate. That hardness turns every water loss into a secondary problem: mineral-bound biofilm coats saturated framing lumber within 48 hours, changing antimicrobial protocol selection under IICRC S500 Section 12.2.4. Water heater tanks with a 12-year manufacturer expected life fail at 7 to 9 years here from accelerated anode rod depletion. Copper supply lines develop pinhole leaks at solder joints from mineral deposition inside the pipe wall — a mechanism that produces roughly 40% of the “hidden leak” calls we run in homes built between 1995 and 2008.

1990s–2000s Housing Boom Plumbing

Riverton’s population tripled between 1990 and 2010. That growth put roughly 12,000 homes on the ground during a window when three failure-prone plumbing systems were being installed at scale. First, polybutylene (Poly-B) supply pipe — used primarily 1978 to 1996, gray in color, connected with acetal (Celcon) fittings — degrades from contact with chlorine and chloramine disinfectants in municipal water. Poly-B failures produce sudden Category 1 supply-line breaks with no warning. Second, Kitec plumbing (aluminum core with PEX sheathing, installed roughly 1995 to 2007) fails at the brass compression fittings from dezincification when exposed to Utah’s alkaline water chemistry (pH 7.6–8.2 typical). Third, galvanized-to-copper transitions installed without dielectric unions produce accelerated galvanic corrosion, typically manifesting as pinhole leaks between years 15 and 25 — putting the 1998–2008 build window squarely in current failure territory.

Climate Zone 5B Freeze-Thaw Cycles

The 2021 IECC places Salt Lake County in Climate Zone 5B. The ASHRAE 99% winter design temperature for the valley floor is 9°F; Riverton sits at 4,439 feet with routine December through February overnight lows between 12 and 22°F. That temperature band produces the classic freeze-crack failure: exposed hose bibs (typically 3/4-inch copper), attic sprinkler mains in Herriman and Bluffdale homes with under-insulated attics, and split PEX-B runs at exterior wall penetrations. The rupture happens overnight; the extraction call comes at 6 a.m. when the thaw begins. Response window matters: Category 1 water becomes Category 2 in 24 to 48 hours per IICRC S500 Section 10.5.4, and Category 3 within 72 hours if left untreated.

Elevation 4,439 Feet and Drying Time

Riverton sits at 4,439 feet above sea level. Standard psychrometric calculations for drying time assume sea-level atmospheric pressure. At Riverton’s elevation, atmospheric pressure runs approximately 12.5 psi versus sea level’s 14.7 psi — a 15% reduction that changes the vapor pressure differential between wet materials and the drying chamber. LGR (low grain refrigerant) dehumidifiers rated to remove 130 pints per day at AHAM standard conditions actually pull closer to 105–115 pints at our elevation. Drying plans built off manufacturer nameplate ratings without elevation correction will miss target moisture content by 24 to 48 hours — enough to shift a Category 2 loss into microbial amplification per IICRC S520 Section 12.3.

What We Do

Residential and light-commercial water damage restoration, mold remediation, sewage cleanup, and fire damage restoration for properties across the southwestern Salt Lake Valley. Every job runs to the current ANSI/IICRC S500, S520, and S700 standards, with elevation-corrected drying plans and Wasatch-snowmelt-corrected antimicrobial protocols.

• Water damage restoration — Category 1, 2, and 3 loss response per IICRC S500. Extraction, structural drying to sub-surface moisture content targets (framing lumber <16% MC, drywall <1% on non-invasive pinless meter), documented moisture mapping, and psychrometric drying logs suitable for insurance carrier claim submission.
• Emergency water extraction — 24/7 response inside the Riverton, Bluffdale, Herriman, South Jordan, Draper, and West Jordan service area. Truck-mount and portable extraction equipment matched to the volume: 12-gallon flood pumpers for standing water above 2 inches, extraction wands with weighted heads for carpet dewatering.
• Structural drying and dehumidification — Phoenix, Dri-Eaz, and Aerus LGR and desiccant dehumidification staged per IICRC S500 psychrometric calculations. Chamber configuration for tight-envelope Daybreak, Herriman, and Rose Creek builds (2005+) differs substantially from open-envelope 1990s Bluffdale and West Jordan builds.
• Sewage cleanup — Category 3 black water response per IICRC S500 Section 10.5.3. Includes municipal sanitary sewer backups (common in older Riverton neighborhoods on the pre-1990 collection system), septic overflows in Bluffdale rural properties, and toilet supply line ruptures.
• Mold remediation — ANSI/IICRC S520 containment and remediation for Condition 2 and Condition 3 microbial growth. Third-party pre- and post-remediation verification (PRV) coordinated with local industrial hygienists.
• Fire and smoke damage restoration — ANSI/IICRC S700 protocols for wet smoke, dry smoke, and protein residue cleanup. Ozone and hydroxyl generator odor abatement calibrated for smoke penetration depth on typical Salt Lake Valley residential materials.
• Basement flooding restoration — Common in Riverton and West Jordan due to spring snowmelt intrusion, sump pump failure, and hydrostatic pressure through basement wall cracks. Includes crawlspace remediation for the older housing stock in West Jordan and northern Riverton where crawl access predates 1985 foundation code.
• Reconstruction — Drywall replacement, framing repair, flooring reinstallation, cabinet re-set, and paint match after the drying phase closes. Coordinated under our S220 contractor license for jobs staying under Utah DOPL residential threshold.

The Service Area

Our office at 5069 13400 S #400 in Riverton sits at the geographic center of the southwestern Salt Lake Valley — less than five minutes from the Mountain View Corridor (SR-85) interchange and eight minutes from Bangerter Highway (SR-154). Average response time to an emergency call inside the primary service area: under 45 minutes during business hours, under 75 minutes overnight.

• Riverton — Rose Creek, Midas Crossing, Mountain Ridge, Monarch Meadows, Royal Farms, Saddlebrook Estates, Stone Ridge, Western Springs, Harvest Gardens, Sycamore Glen, and the older grid west of 1300 West with its 1970s and 1980s housing stock.
• Bluffdale — The neighborhoods along Redwood Road, the newer subdivisions east of Independence High School, and the semi-rural properties near the Camp Williams boundary where septic and well-water systems change the failure profile.
• Herriman — Rosecrest, Anthem, Sunrise Meadows, and the fast-growing subdivisions along the Herriman-Riverton boundary that share the same 2005-onward tight-envelope construction era.
• South Jordan — Daybreak (all villages), Riverfront, the neighborhoods along the Jordan River Parkway, and the commercial corridor around The District.
• Draper — The bench neighborhoods east of I-15, the Corner Canyon and SunCrest areas at higher elevation (5,200–6,000 ft), and the commercial buildings along Draper Parkway.
• West Jordan — The older housing grid west of Redwood Road, the 1980s and 1990s subdivisions around Copper Hills, and the commercial properties along 7000 South.

How We Work

Measure First. Cut Second.

Every restoration visit starts with instrumentation. Delmhorst BD-2100 pin meters at 6-inch grid intervals across affected surfaces. Wagner Meters MMC220 pinless meters for non-invasive verification through paint and wallpaper. FLIR C5 thermal imaging to trace hidden water migration through ceiling assemblies and behind kitchen cabinetry. Extech RH250W hygrometer readings inside the affected space, in adjacent unaffected spaces, and outdoors — three-point data required to calculate an accurate drying chamber grain-depression differential. The data drives the demolition plan. Then we cut.

Right-Sized Drying. Not Overkill.

Every drying plan starts with an IICRC S500 psychrometric calculation. Chamber volume in cubic feet times the target grain-per-pound depression from ambient conditions gives us the dehumidification load. That number, corrected for Riverton’s 4,439-foot elevation, drives equipment selection. A 1,400 cubic foot chamber with 45 pounds of Category 1 water needing a 15 GPP depression at 78°F ambient calls for one 130-pint LGR dehumidifier at nameplate (roughly 110 pints elevation-corrected) plus three centrifugal air movers set at 45-degree angles. A 3,200 cubic foot Category 3 sewage loss in a finished basement calls for a completely different equipment stack. Rule-of-thumb drying wastes energy and misses moisture content targets.

Priced in Daylight.

Every estimate breaks out labor hours, equipment rental days, material replacement cost by unit (drywall by 4×8 sheet, carpet by square yard, pad by square foot), antimicrobial application by treated area, and reconstruction line items. Xactimate documentation matched to Riverton, Bluffdale, Herriman, South Jordan, Draper, and West Jordan zip code price bands so insurance carrier adjusters see the same numbers we do. Permits pulled through Riverton Building Services or the relevant municipal authority when reconstruction scope requires them.

What Customers Actually See

The pattern across restoration jobs is consistent. Technicians arrive with named equipment and produce readings on paper. Moisture maps updated daily. Antimicrobial application logged by product name, concentration, and treated area in square feet. Written estimates precede work, never follow it. And the company doesn’t run insurance-adjuster theater — a Category 1 loss on hardwood flooring that can be dried in place with mat systems doesn’t get quoted as a full tear-and-replace.

A Midas Crossing homeowner, Sarah W., hired us for a second opinion after a national franchise quoted $34,000 for full basement demolition after a washing machine supply line rupture. The actual damage was contained to a 12-foot run of drywall on one wall and 220 square feet of pad. We dried the assembly in place with a floor-mat system, hit target moisture content in 84 hours, replaced 24 linear feet of drywall base, and closed the job for $4,180. A South Jordan property manager on the Daybreak retail row, Marcus T., had us respond to a Sunday-afternoon Category 3 sewage backup in a 2,400 square foot commercial tenant space — we contained the affected area under negative pressure with 6-mil poly sheeting, extracted 340 gallons over four hours, and had the space cleared for reconstruction by Thursday morning. A Draper homeowner in the Corner Canyon area, Linda B., called us after two contractors told her she had “toxic black mold” throughout her HVAC ductwork — we ran surface samples through a local industrial hygienist lab, confirmed the elevated spore count was actually Cladosporium (a normal outdoor genus that migrates through leaky return ducts), sealed the return-side breach, and closed the job for $1,340 instead of the $16,800 duct-replacement quote she had in hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns Pure Flow Water Damage & Restoration?

David Donegan founded and owns Pure Flow Water Damage & Restoration. The company has operated from its office at 5069 13400 S #400 in Riverton, Utah, since 2024, serving residential and light-commercial customers across southwestern Salt Lake County under Utah DOPL contractor license #13845621-5501 (S220 Small Commercial & Residential). David personally holds IICRC WRT, ASD, AMRT, and FSRT certifications for water damage, structural drying, microbial remediation, and fire and smoke restoration work.

Why does water damage restoration work differently in the Salt Lake Valley?

Three measurable factors. First, municipal water hardness of 15–25 grains per gallon from Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District sources creates mineral-bound biofilm on saturated materials within 48 hours — changing antimicrobial protocol selection under IICRC S500 Section 12.2.4. Second, Riverton’s 4,439-foot elevation reduces atmospheric pressure by roughly 15% versus sea level, which lowers dehumidifier extraction rates below manufacturer nameplate and extends drying time by 24 to 48 hours if not corrected in the psychrometric calculation. Third, the 1990s and 2000s housing boom left roughly 12,000 homes with polybutylene, Kitec, and galvanized-to-copper transition plumbing systems that are hitting failure age between 2020 and 2030. Restoration strategy has to account for these three variables or the job runs long, over budget, or into secondary microbial amplification.

What cities does Pure Flow serve?

Riverton, Bluffdale, Herriman, South Jordan (including all Daybreak villages), Draper, and West Jordan. The office at 5069 13400 S #400 sits near the Mountain View Corridor (SR-85) interchange, putting average emergency response time inside the primary service area under 45 minutes during business hours and under 75 minutes overnight. We also respond to properties in Sandy, Lehi, and Saratoga Springs when scheduling allows.

Is Pure Flow licensed and insured to work in Utah?

Yes. The company operates under Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) contractor license #13845621-5501 (S220 Small Commercial & Residential classification) and is an EPA-Certified Lead-Safe Renovation Firm (#NAT-F189543-1) for RRP-triggered work in pre-1978 homes. General liability coverage of $2,000,000 aggregate is carried through The Hartford. Workers’ compensation coverage is active through Workers Compensation Fund of Utah. Restoration permits are pulled through Riverton Building Services or the appropriate municipal authority when reconstruction scope requires them.

What IICRC certifications do your technicians hold?

Field technicians hold Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) credentials in the specialty areas relevant to the work: WRT (Water Damage Restoration Technician), ASD (Applied Structural Drying), AMRT (Applied Microbial Remediation Technician), and FSRT (Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician). All work follows the current ANSI/IICRC S500 (Water Damage Restoration), S520 (Mold Remediation), and S700 (Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration) standards. Continuing education hours are logged annually with IICRC to maintain certification currency.

Contact Pure Flow Water Damage & Restoration

Our Riverton office sits at the geographic center of the southwestern Salt Lake Valley, with 24/7 emergency response across Riverton, Bluffdale, Herriman, South Jordan, Draper, and West Jordan. Whether you’re handling a 3 a.m. burst-pipe call during a January freeze, a Category 3 sewage backup on a Sunday afternoon, or a spring snowmelt basement intrusion in Rose Creek or Daybreak, our IICRC-certified technicians are available.

• Emergency Line (24/7): (385) 289-3753
• Address: 5069 13400 S #400, Riverton, UT 84096
• Email: info@pureflowwaterdamagerestoration.xyz
• Utah DOPL Contractor License: #13845621-5501 (S220 Small Commercial & Residential)
• EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm: #NAT-F189543-1
• IICRC Certifications: WRT, ASD, AMRT, FSRT

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Office Hours

• Emergency Service: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Office Staff: Monday – Saturday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Closed: Sundays and State/Federal Holidays (emergency line always active)