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Is It Necessary to Replace Water Damaged Drywall?
If you’ve been through a water damage-related event, you know well the misery of having to clean up the aftermath. Water, dirt, debris - these things can all make a huge mess and ruin treasured family heirlooms. But what about your drywall? Are you going to have to deal with costly wall repairs on top of everything else?
It’s possible you can escape the hassle and expense and ultimately save the drywall you currently have. Here are a few things to consider before ripping it all down:
- How wet did it get?
- How long was it wet?
- Is it warped, sagging, or crumbling?
- Do you smell a bad odor?
- Has whatever caused the water damage been repaired?
Drywall is used in homes all over the world because it’s both lightweight and durable. But its Achilles’ heel though is excess moisture. Further explore whether your water-damaged home will need replacement drywall or make it through unscathed.
Evaluate The Moisture Levels
Once your house has been cleared of excess water, it’s time to assess the damage. Even a small leak or a bit of rain can degrade your drywall, but sometimes it will dry out and come back to life if it was only wet for a short time.
If you had only a small leak that was caught quickly or only a minor event where the drywall was only lightly dampened, you can probably salvage it. The experts at Hunker suggest opening the windows and using a big fan to help dry things out faster. On the other hand, if any portions of drywall took a real soaking or were submerged in floodwater, you will most likely need to replace it.
Consider The Timeframe
The longer your walls are exposed to moisture, the more likely it is that you’ll need to rip some drywall out and replace it, unfortunately. While drywall is a builder’s go-to material, it’s not meant to come into contact with water for any length of time.
Drywall around the bathroom and kitchen should be periodically checked for leaks & water damage. If you’ve had a weather event of the century and parts of your walls or ceiling were wet for more than a day, you’ll want to remove those panels as quickly as possible.
Check The Consistency
Unsure whether your drywall can be salvaged or not? Ask The Builder recommends that you give it a close examination. "Poke at it" and see if it retains hardness and strength. If it bends easily or feels "spongy," trash it.
Look closely at the fasteners and see if there are any bulges around them. If so, the drywall is droopy because of damage. Once it loses structural integrity, it needs to go. Check your floors for whitish crumbles as well. Crumbling drywall is beyond saving.
Scan your walls and ceilings for any bubbles in your paint. Bubbles could mean water blisters in the paint, but that doesn’t always mean the drywall is ruined. Pierce the bubble, let the water drain out, then examine the drywall behind for excess moisture.
What’s That Smell?
Ugh, one of the worst aspects of dealing with water damage is dealing with the funky smells afterwards. Nobody wants to be around the odors of a wet house for any longer than necessary.
It’s crucial to begin the drying process as soon as possible. Whether you go with a pro to help your family remediate water damage or hope to do it on your own, removing any excess wetness as fast as you can is vitally important to avoid additional damage.
Once everything is as dry as it can be, use your nose to pinpoint musty smells. A gross aroma is a surefire sign that mold and mildew have taken hold. While mold might be naturally occurring and useful in making certain kinds of cheese, it’s exactly what you don’t want lurking in your walls & ceilings.
Plug The Leak
If the water damage in your home was caused by a fire or a “once in a lifetime” flood, there are steps you can take to ensure you’re better protected if such a thing happens again. Even the most luxurious home is susceptible to plumbing mishaps or large appliance malfunctions.
Small leaks can go unnoticed for months, all the while causing insidious damage to drywall and wood. It’s a wise move to regularly go around your house and look for discoloration, warping, paint bubbles, unexplained wetness, & disagreeable mildewy stink. If you can catch a small leak as early as possible, it will save you a world of headaches later.
Conclusion
Water damage is a giant pain in the butt that nobody wants to deal with. From your ceilings to your carpeting, excess moisture can really wreak some havoc. Are you going to have to replace a bunch of drywall? The answer is… maybe, depending on how long it was exposed to water, and if mold or mildew has had a chance to take hold. When in doubt, it’s always best to seek outside help.