Water Damage Repair For Walls

Identifying and controlling water damage is the first priority.

In some cases, water damage is obvious and visible. If you’ve had flooding or visible leaks, you can likely assume that there is water damage. 

If you’re unsure, look for clear or visible signs of water damage. This usually includes cracked paint, bubbling wallpaper, musty odors, water rings and stains, or drywall that feels soft when touched. 

If you’re curious about whether or not your drywall has hidden water damage, there are a few options to consider.

One option is a moisture meter (a device that measures electrical impedance in your wall). This can provide a quick answer that doesn’t require cutting into your drywall, but be aware that they can provide a false positive. 

Otherwise, you should look for other signs of water pooling or collecting in your home. This includes musty smells, dripping sounds, sudden spikes in your utility bills, and warping floors or doorways. 

Water leaks from plumbing issues — This could be from a clogged drain, burst pipe, small leak, or some other plumbing malfunction. In these cases, you’ll need to identify the issue, fix it, and repair the damaged wall (plus any other substructures that may be damaged). 

Roof leaks and their impact on walls — No one wants a leak in their roof! It can sometimes be difficult to tell if you have a roof leak, but water damage on an interior wall of your home could be signaling exactly that. Fixing a leak isn’t always a simple matter, but it’s essential to find and patch the water source before repairing your wall. 

Poor drainage and its effect on wall integrity — If you’ve got a drain that regularly clogs (or drains slowly), the leftover moisture still has to go somewhere. Depending on the conditions in your home, that moisture can and will begin to affect your walls (especially drywall), so taking care of drainage issues is important. 

External factors like floods and storms — Nature does what it wants, and sometimes that means extreme weather events. Whether it’s a broken window and sideways rain, a tree limb damaging your weatherproofing, a 100-year flood, or something else, repairing water damage (and fixing your storm damage) is part of making your home clean and dry once more. 

For most homes, repairing water-damaged drywall isn’t a strenuous task — but that doesn’t mean there aren’t potential dangers. 

Appropriate safety precautions include wearing protective gear and knowledge of potential hazards in the wall (electricity/plumbing). Black mold (a potential result of water damage) is toxic and should be handled by professionals. 

Even if your water damage seems minor, it’s important to take time and truly assess the extent of the damage. As mentioned previously, the cause could be elsewhere in your home — and maybe creating issues elsewhere (like mold and mildew). 

Once the problem is understood (and fixed), repair can begin. 

To begin the repair, the water-damaged portion of your wall is removed and disposed of. In many cases, there is still moisture in the remaining structure that needs to be completely dried out. Depending on the extent of the damage, this could take a few days (potentially weeks). This is an important step to ensure that no lingering moisture damages the new wall. 

Once dry, replacement drywall is cut and installed. 

Once the new wall is installed and textured, paint is applied 

Congratulations – your new wall is installed, and your home is safe and clean once more. 

Even if you don’t have current water damage, it’s still important to recognize the warning signs and protect your home. We encourage all of our clients to adopt preventative measures to help ensure that any water damage is minimalized.

A great start is to schedule regular home inspections and develop an attentive maintenance routine. Checking things like water heaters, pipes, emergency drainage, weatherproofing, roof status, and more will go a long way in helping stave off a leak.

Another thing we recommend is ensuring that your home drains properly. Water always takes the path of least resistance, and if it has a convenient drain, it won’t pool up and affect your walls. 

Likewise, take time to ensure that your doors, windows, and other access points have been properly sealed for water and humidity. You’d be surprised how even a small pet door can let water in. 

Last (but not least), make sure that you keep the inside of your home at an ideal humidity level. Research shows that your home is best protected when kept between 40%-60% humidity. These days, there are plenty of options (even smart home tech) that can help you track and manage your home’s humidity levels.

Water damage is serious and shouldn’t be left to get worse. Preventative measures help, but water damage can still happen. 

If you’ve identified or suspect water damage, try to understand the cause and fix the issue before removing and drying out your walls. The last thing you need is to install new drywall — only for the water damage to emerge again. 

Puroclean always recommends working with a professional to help navigate these tough spots. Contact us today to see how we can help you assess and repair the water damage in your home.