How to deal with damage on dry walls

Dry wall damage should be immediately acted upon to avoid further destruction. (Photo Credits)

Dry wall can be severely damaged when water damage or flooding inundates a home. It is very porous and can absorb liquids quickly, and as such, can provide a good environment for mold to grow.

It is important that homeowners have a basic knowledge of how to deal with water damage on dry walls, so that while waiting for professional help they could at least soften somehow the impact of the inundation into their walling structure. Check over here 

The North Dakota Department of Emergency Services has come up with a guide for homeowners whose homes have been flooded. A portion of the guide tackled how residents can deal with flooding that has affected their dry wall.

“Wash out mud, dirt and debris as soon as possible with a hose and mop cloth or sponge.  Start cleaning from the top floor or upper limit of flooding and work downward.  Remove wallboard,  plaster  and  paneling  to  at  least  the  flood  level.  Wallboard acts  like  a  sponge  when  wet.  If  soaked  by  contaminated  floodwater,  it  can  be  a  permanent  health  hazard  and  should  be  removed.  If  most  of  the  wallboard  was  soaked by clean rainwater, consider cutting a 4- to 12-inch-high section from the bottom  and  top  of  walls.”

The full guide can be downloaded from here.

Drywall water damage guide

The website ThePaintedSurface.com also came up with a useful guide on dealing with water damage issues on dry wall. In their post, they mentioned about what type of damage can still be restored, and what needs to be replaced.

“First make sure the drywall is still attached to the studs or framing. If the wallboard is sagging or broken it will need to be replaced. There may be blistered paint or loose layers of drywall mud but the wallboard itself is solid and secured to the studs. If the wallboard is sagging slightly try to snug it up using drywall screws. Start at the outer edge of the sag. Make sure the screws go into the studs and try not to break through the surface of the wallboard. Work slowly toward the worst part of the sag using the screws to pull up the board.”

The continuation can be found here.

Damaged dry wall

The website Askthebuilder.com also shared ways to deal with water damage on dry walls. In fact its guide even extended to dealing water damage that has affected a ceiling with dry wall affected by roof damage, plumbing concern, or weather-related flooding. They warned dry wall used for the ceiling can collapse because of water damage.

“The first signs to look for with respect to the ceiling falling are depressions around the fasteners. You’ll see small dimples form as the drywall surrounding the nails or screws succumbs to gravity and starts to droop leaving an upside down crater. If you see this happening, move all valuables and furniture from the room in anticipation of a ceiling collapse. If you see a bubble or droop start to happen in the drywall there could be ponding water on the other side. Use a nail or other punch to create a drain hole allowing the water to escape. Capture it with a bucket.”

Take a look at the continuation here.

Water damage on dry walls should indeed be treated immediately. Not doing so can result to more damage and can even pose as a safety hazard.