Home Page
Contact Us
About Us
Emergency Procedures
Our Process
Reference List
Frequently Asked Questions
Document Restoration
Artifact Restoration
Special Projects
 AMERICAN 
FREEZE-DRY OPERATIONS INC.

ABOUT OUR PROCESS

Freeze-drying is a technique by which material is frozen, then dehydrated by sublimation, with complete retention of form. Sublimation is the process by which the contained water passes from a frozen to a gaseous state.

Frozen material is placed into a vacuum chamber where the freeze-drying process takes place. The time needed to completely dry materials varies according to the thickness of a volume, type of paper and the degree of saturation. Vacuum Freeze Drying is noninvasive and produces no chemical damage.


CLEANING & SANITIZING

Review the scope of the damage. Speed of service is important. Documents must be packed and removed from site as soon as possible. Preferably within 48 hours of loss. Freezing immediately prevents or inhibits mold growth. Mold can grow within 48 hours. Evaluation of documents can be done at a later date to determine which to save or discard. Decide which drying procedure is best suited for the situation. Processes that are available: Freeze Drying; Thermal Drying; Vacuum Drying; or Forced Dry Air Drying. Rehumidify documents on airing tables. Deodorize or treat with Ozone to eliminate odor. Clean mud and debris from documents and trimmed burned edges, if necessary. Prepare for storage or reproduction.