Water Remediation Advice - How to Fix a Water-Damaged Drywall

Wall material like drywall is a sponge when it comes to moisture, and it doesn't take much for it to suffer from water damage. An upstairs leaky pipe or a window left open during a storm can leave your sheetrock in need of repair.

Unless the damage is obvious, such as during a flood, or you lose your roof during a storm with high-speed winds, you will need to figure out the source of the moisture before repairing the wall. This article shows you how to determine where moisture is getting into your property and how to fix water damage on drywall once you've fixed the leak.

The Problem with Drywall

Drywall isn't load-bearing, so you don't have to worry about your ceiling collapsing because of soggy sheetrock. However, it's incredibly porous and will soak up any errant moisture. Water from a small leak in your washing machine or a slow drip from a busted pipe under the kitchen sink can find its way into the nearby adjacent dry wall.

The problem with wet drywall is that moisture has a bad habit of bleeding into other areas of the home. Soaked drywall is also a haven for mold and it doesn't take long for the moisture to spread to the wood framing, ductwork, and crawl spaces where mold will be happy to follow.

A small patch of mold will soon grow into a large colony that's releasing millions of tiny spores into the atmosphere. Airborne spores can cause all sorts of respiratory problems when they get into our airways. They may even be life-threatening for people who are sensitive to such things.

As soon as you notice your drywall is damp, you should take steps to remedy the problem as quickly as possible. Here's how to fix water damage on your drywall.

1. Determine the Extent of the Damage

Damp drywall can be hard to spot with the naked eye if the moisture is hiding beneath the surface. Your visual inspection may not be able to tell you the extent of the damage, but a moisture meter will reveal all.

These tools are available from hardware stores, but a water remediation company will perform a thorough inspection to give you peace of mind that no other areas of your home are compromised.

A reading of more than 1 percent out of the meter's green zone is a sign of trouble.

2. Consider the Wall Covering or Paint

Water stains will show through the gloss, semi-gloss, or flat paint. These finishes won't seal up the moisture so the wall material will dry out relatively quickly.

However, other wall coverings like vinyl wallpaper and high-gloss paint will hide the presence of moisture and make drying exceedingly difficult and time-consuming. If you are dealing with any of the latter materials you should consider calling a water mitigation/remediation company near you.

3. Get Industrial Strength Equipment

You will need to rent out equipment like industrial strength fans and dehumidifiers from home improvement centers because your domestic pedestal fan from Best Buy won't be up to the task.

Don't accept anything less than a dehumidifier that can get up to temperatures around 115 degrees Fahrenheit at 14 percent relative humidity. Another option would be to use a water remediation company. They have the equipment and the experience to use it for the best results.

4. Seal Up the Room and Start Drying

Tape plastic sheeting over doorways and windows to make the room as airtight as possible and fire up the fans and dehumidifiers. Make sure you keep an eye on the dehumidifier's collection well and keep tabs on the drying process with repeated use of the moisture meter. It will take around three to five days to get the drywall completely dry.

5. Recheck and Repaint

Before you start painting, use the moisture meter one last time to check the results. When you are confident the walls are dry enough, paint over the previously wet drywall with an oil or alcohol-based primer, and make sure you cover the surrounding areas as well. Let the first coat dry and then add another before repainting with a fresh coat of paint.

6. Get Professional Help From a Water Remediation Company

Depending on the extent of the damage and how handy you are with tools and paint, you may be able to repair moisture-damaged drywall yourself. However, for extreme levels of damage from floods and storms, an expert water remediation company will be necessary for getting your property dry so you can start the repair work as soon as possible.

After a disaster like a flood, you have about 48 hours before mold will become a problem, so the sooner you get the property dry the better off you will be. If you have discovered moisture in your drywall, call Best Option Restoration today for expert advice and fast, friendly service.

How to Fix a Water-Damaged Drywall with Best Option Restoration

If you’re experiencing water damaged drywall in Denver, Arvada, Thornton, Broomfield, Boulder, or the surrounding areas, Best Option Restoration can help you. We are aware that water damaged drywall can leave you feeling overwhelmed, and our goal is to instill peace of mind throughout the project and restore your property in the most efficient way possible. We have many years of experience in restoration reconstruction and all our general contractors are licensed and insured. If your property has been damaged due to water, fire, or mold we will give you the personalized service and expert marksmanship needed to get the job done right. To learn more about our services, call us at (720) 620-3272 or contact us online to receive an estimate on your project.