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Dealing With a Damaged Drywall As a Result Of Water Damage in Laguna Nigel

A burst pipe or extinguishing fire can cause a considerable damage to your drywalls. If and when that happens, don’t fool yourself into thinking you can simply wait it out and then touch up the drywall with a coat of fresh paint. Your best bet is to call a professional to assess the consequences of water damage in your Laguna Nigel property. Emergency Home Water Damage has over 15 years of experience in dealing with water damage. We are IICRC accredited and EPA-certified, so you can rely on us as a trustworthy and reputable company that will handle any plumbing, water damage or mold related issue you may have.

Here is an outline of what the process looks like when water damage threatens a drywall in your home.

Assessing the damage

The first step is to assess the extent of damage. Even though professionals have advanced equipment that can locate even invisible water deposits and soaks, homeowners can also perform some simple tests.

Look for signs of depression. They will mostly show as dimples around nails and screws. If they are present, it’s advisable to remove valuables and furniture away from the wall, because it might shortly collapse.

Look for bubbles or droops or the starting signs of them. They could be indicating water ponding or pooling behind it. If they are soft, pierce them with something sharp to allow water to drain and collect it.

You can also simply poke gently at the drywall to see whether it feels hard or soft and spongy. If the drywall feels hard to touch, that’s usually a good sign. However, if it feels soft, don’t hesitate to call in a professional. It’s not advisable to wait for it to dry for reasons we will shortly explain.

The real problem is that damage can sometimes go unseen. If you know there has been a plumbing problem or you had a fire incident and the drywall suffered during the extinguishing process, the safest thing to do is have a professional determine the existence and scope of the damage.

Mold and mildew

Even if you never had mold or mildew before and you’ve taken steps against them before, their spores can still be rampant on the inside of the wall, just waiting for the final trigger – water. Mold and mildew grow fastest in damp environments with inadequate ventilation.

Sometimes you can smell them before you can see any signs. Check for the characteristic dank smell. If you feel it or if you have already noticed some black spots emerging, that’s when you should call for professional help.

Containing mold and mildew and preventing them from appearing later is actually the most important aspect of water damage remediation. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to deal with these problems in a DIY fashion, because dehumidifiers, HEPA filters and negative air pressure machines are necessary to eradicate the spores once and for all. Tackling the problem in-house is a health hazard, and it is highly likely the problem will come back or spread to other areas.

Fixing the drywall

Depending on the scope of the damage, restoration may require just a fresh coat of paint or replacing a portion of the drywall, where the damaged area is. This is also something best undertaken by a professional because having the drywall properly sealed and painted will make it both look as good as new and protect it better from moisture. There is also the danger of inadvertently ruining wires, cables, water and heating lines which are on the other side of the drywall if you decide to cut the damaged area on your own.