One easily overlooked consequence of a flood is the damage it can cause to your drywall. Drywall is very fragile and absorbent. These qualities make it the perfect target for water damage. If you aren’t careful after a flood, your drywall can easily be damaged beyond repair. To prevent this from happening, there are a few simple steps you can take that are recommended by our water damage restoration experts at Proven Professional Construction Service in Raleigh As you follow these steps after a flood, you will be able to save your drywall and avoid the cost of replacing it.
Locate The Source Of The Damage
The water has to come from somewhere. It’s important toidentify the source of a leak so the flow of water right can be stopped right away. If the water is coming from a broken pipe or water line, shut off the water supply to your home. However, you will still need to find the source of the leak to prevent future damage as well.
Remove Standing Water And Moisture
Standing water quickly destroys drywall. Drywall is very fragile and absorbent so even a couple hours of exposure to standing water is enough to significantly damage drywall. Even if all the standing floodwater has been removed, the remaining moisture in the drywall can cause major damage. One easy way to remove the moisture and speed up the water damage restoration process is to contact professionals who have powerful drying equipment that cannot be found in stores.
Remove Damaged Materials
Once as much of the water as possible has been removed, it is time to remove the damaged drywall so it can begin drying out. If it has already reached the point where it is cracked, sagging, or crumbling, you best bet is to replace it entirely. If the water has come from an unknown or contaminated source – be sure to use a professional water damage restoration company that knows what safety precautions to take and how to disinfect contaminated areas of your home.
Disinfect And Deodorize
If your drywall was able to be saved, you will need to disinfect and deodorize it depending on the level of contamination in the floodwater. Doing so is important because the contamination can be hazardous and can leave behind an unpleasant odor throughout your home.
Hang New Drywall or Repair Cracked Walls
For smaller sections of water damaged drywall, you may be able to patch the damage with drywall mud or joint compound. Mud and joint compound are available at your local hardware store. In some cases, you may also need to apply some drywall tape as well.
Paint Or Cover The Restored Area With Wallpaper
The final step to repairing drywall is covering up the damaged area. The best way to do this is to paint over the area or hang new wallpaper. Whichever option you choose, it’s usually a good idea to apply primer to the area first to seal the drywall.
Don’t let your drywall, or any other part of your home, be damaged more than it needs to be after a flood. If you need water damage restoration services, call us at Proven Professional Construction Service in Raleigh without delay if your home ever floods.
