Drying Drywall After Water Damage

A steady leak or flood damage are common examples.
Drying drywall after water damage. The day after the leak do the test with your finger to see how stiff the drywall is. How to dry a wall after water damage. While drywall is pretty sturdy when it s exposed to water for too long it can get damaged. Instead it will be clearly warped and discolored.
Even after it dries the drywall will not return to its original shape. Proper ventilation continuous indoor dehumidification and adequate air circulation with fans are essential elements in drying out wet drywall. To reduce the likelihood of mold growth occurring in wet drywall effective drying techniques must be initiated within 24 to 48 hours following the water damage incident. Water damaged multi layered walls can be a major issue when drying a water damaged structure and if it s ever suspected then invasive inspection is required in order to make that determination.
If multiple layers of saturated drywall is discovered then a decision needs to made quickly whether to remove it or attempt to dry it. Additionally use fans to further air circulation and dehumidifiers to remove air moisture. How to dry out walls after water damage remove your baseboards moldings and wallpaper. While water damage is sometimes visible at other times the wall does not show signs of this moisture.
If it s solid you may just have to repaint and not replace drywall. It may lose its structural integrity becoming soft and weak. In many cases water damaged drywall needs to be replaced. The key is to minimize the amount of water that saturates the drywall.
Speed is critical to avoiding mold damage though. If soaked sheetrock results from overhead flooding you may be in danger of a ceiling collapse. Drywall can wick water up to 30 inches. After major water damage situations such as those that result from storms flooding or burst pipes in a home it may be necessary to dry wall cavities and other small spaces as part of the total restoration effort.
Prick the large blister and let all water drain out. If the drywall is exposed to a large amount of water over an extended period it will become irreparably ruined. The water will be present on both sides of the wall. Drywall is very absorbent.
Often however it s higher on the inside due to restricted evaporation on that side of the drywall.