Contains the problem. Finding and fixing any water leaks near walls is the first step to take when dealing with water damage. Drain any remaining water on the walls and eliminate any damaged areas to prevent long-term problems. To dry out small wet spots, use a room fan.
For larger humid areas, buy a dehumidifier. To speed up the drying process, open doors and windows and use fans to move air around damp walls. Dehumidifiers can help remove moisture from the air, which also indirectly removes it from walls. Water saturation along the walls usually begins with floods at ground level.
The water that covers the floor will eventually seep into the walls due to their porous nature, allowing moisture to penetrate up to 30 inches high. If the flood water is due to a broken pipe, shut off the water source immediately to prevent additional water from leaking into the area and causing more damage to the walls. It is important to consult a licensed plumber to repair broken plumbing before drying walls. Mold and mildew start to grow after about 24 hours, so that's about how long you can wait and see the progress you're making.
If you don't see any improvement after 24 hours, it may be time to call a professional or get better drying equipment, as mold and mildew can become a problem. Most homeowners can handle simple or even moderate water damage to a wall, even with basic skills. In these situations, it is not necessary to open the walls to dry them first, as a professional water damage specialist will have a team that will take care of everything quickly and cleanly. Sometimes water damage is obvious, but most of the time it is hidden and may be overlooked by those who are not trained in restoring water damage. A few inches of water infiltration along the floor can seep into walls and cause major water damage. When you have to cut pieces of gypsum sheet to visibly and tangibly check the insulation, professionals have tools that can tell them exactly where the water is without causing additional damage to the sheet.
After addressing any immediate hazards of floods, water, and electrical damage in the best possible way, it is important to clear the area of anything that could be damaged or trapped in the water. The extent of water damage to walls depends on how the wall is constructed, how much water has leaked into the property, and how high the water level inside has risen. After an event that causes water damage to your home, not only will the floors be affected but also the walls. Homeowners have two options: drying the walls themselves or requesting professional restoration of water damage. However, if the problem is due to a broken pipe, toilet, faucet, or appliance, you can locate the main water valve and turn off the water supply.
It depends on the extent of the water damage, but in general you can expect areas of your home exposed to water or moisture to dry out in about five days. Letting water damage penetrate walls can cause costly and dangerous structural damage as well as growth of mold and mildew which are hazardous to health. The biggest threat is mold and mildew but if you detect and act quickly that threat is greatly reduced and things can be fixed quickly. Water damage restoration professionals have all necessary equipment and training to completely dry severely damaged walls. Before learning how to dry a wall after water damage let's understand how it saturates drywall. Call us at (94) 229-3699 for an emergency repair for water damage.
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