When it comes to water damage, there are a lot of different kinds of materials that can be affected. It takes a highly trained and skilled professional to be able to properly and completely restore any type of home or other piece of property.
Drywall / Sheetrock / Gypsum
When drywall, also known as sheetrock or gypsum board, becomes wet, it acts kind of like a sponge and soaks up a substantial amount of water. It is a very porous material, so any period of time where standing water is in contact with drywall will usually be enough to saturate the material and ruin it.
Once drywall comes in contact with potentially hazardous materials and wastes, they will need to be replaced. If you try and clean and dry out this material, it will still be contaminated.
Unless the water leak is identified quickly, drywall often has to be replaced.
Insulation
Depending on what type of insulation was used in the construction of your property or home, it will most likely need to be replaced. If you have fiberglass insulation or cellulose insulation, those should be replaced in the event of a flood or standing water. If you are using foam sheets for insulation, those usually just need to be cleaned and dried properly.
Laminated Wood and Particle Board
If you have standing water, or a leak that has been dripping for an extended period of time on to laminated wood or particle board, it can cause the board warp and even separate between the layers. This will weaken the material significantly and typically would need to be replaced in this scenario. Again, if the problem is minor and discovered quickly and dealt with promptly, this material can usually be salvaged.
Wood Studs and Beams
For solid wood beams and studs that are used for framing, this material is typically not affected enough to where it needs to be replaced. It needs to be completely dried out, and also disinfected to make sure there aren't any molds or other harmful substances, but usually don't need to be replaced.
Floors and Carpeting
If you have a small leak on your hands, and it is dealt with promptly, you may be able to avoid damages to your floors and carpeting. If you have a full-on flood or standing water, most likely your carpets and flooring material will have to be replaced. Carpets, hardwood floors, laminated coverings, etc, usually need to be replaced if there has been a flood or standing water that has been sitting for days or even hours.
If you have any questions about water damage restoration, give us a call. We are here to help 24/7 365 days a year.
Portland, OR - How Water Damage Affects Drywall, Insulation, Wood and Flooring
SYNOPSIS: In this article, we are going over what happens when various building materials become saturated with water from flooding, leaking faucets, broken pipes, etc.
When it comes to water damage, there are a lot of different kinds of materials that can
How soaked materials break down room by room
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In this article, we are going over what happens when various building materials become saturated with water from flooding, leaking faucets, broken pipes, etc.
When it comes to water damage, there are a lot of different kinds of materials that can be affected. It takes a highly trained and skilled professional to be able to properly and completely restore any type of home or other piece of property.
Drywall / Sheetrock / Gypsum
When drywall, also known as sheetrock or gypsum board, becomes wet, it acts kind of like a sponge and soaks up a substantial amount of water. It is a very porous material, so any period of time where standing water is in contact with drywall will usually be enough to saturate the material and ruin it.
Once drywall comes in contact with potentially hazardous materials and wastes, they will need to be replaced. If you try and clean and dry out this material, it will still be contaminated.
Unless the water leak is identified quickly, drywall often has to be replaced.
Insulation
Depending on what type of insulation was used in the construction of your property or home, it will most likely need to be replaced. If you have fiberglass insulation or cellulose insulation, those should be replaced in the event of a flood or standing water. If you are using foam sheets for insulation, those usually just need to be cleaned and dried properly.
Laminated Wood and Particle Board
If you have standing water, or a leak that has been dripping for an extended period of time on to laminated wood or particle board, it can cause the board warp and even separate between the layers. This will weaken the material significantly and typically would need to be replaced in this scenario. Again, if the problem is minor and discovered quickly and dealt with promptly, this material can usually be salvaged.
Wood Studs and Beams
For solid wood beams and studs that are used for framing, this material is typically not affected enough to where it needs to be replaced. It needs to be completely dried out, and also disinfected to make sure there aren't any molds or other harmful substances, but usually don't need to be replaced.
Floors and Carpeting
If you have a small leak on your hands, and it is dealt with promptly, you may be able to avoid damages to your floors and carpeting. If you have a full-on flood or standing water, most likely your carpets and flooring material will have to be replaced. Carpets, hardwood floors, laminated coverings, etc, usually need to be replaced if there has been a flood or standing water that has been sitting for days or even hours.
If you have any questions about water damage restoration, give us a call. We are here to help 24/7 365 days a year.
When it comes to water damage, there are a lot of different kinds of materials that can be affected. It takes a highly trained and skilled professional to be able to properly and completely restore any type of home or other piece of property.
Drywall / Sheetrock / Gypsum
When drywall, also known as sheetrock or gypsum board, becomes wet, it acts kind of like a sponge and soaks up a substantial amount of water. It is a very porous material, so any period of time where standing water is in contact with drywall will usually be enough to saturate the material and ruin it.
Once drywall comes in contact with potentially hazardous materials and wastes, they will need to be replaced. If you try and clean and dry out this material, it will still be contaminated.
Unless the water leak is identified quickly, drywall often has to be replaced.
Insulation
Depending on what type of insulation was used in the construction of your property or home, it will most likely need to be replaced. If you have fiberglass insulation or cellulose insulation, those should be replaced in the event of a flood or standing water. If you are using foam sheets for insulation, those usually just need to be cleaned and dried properly.
Laminated Wood and Particle Board
If you have standing water, or a leak that has been dripping for an extended period of time on to laminated wood or particle board, it can cause the board warp and even separate between the layers. This will weaken the material significantly and typically would need to be replaced in this scenario. Again, if the problem is minor and discovered quickly and dealt with promptly, this material can usually be salvaged.
Wood Studs and Beams
For solid wood beams and studs that are used for framing, this material is typically not affected enough to where it needs to be replaced. It needs to be completely dried out, and also disinfected to make sure there aren't any molds or other harmful substances, but usually don't need to be replaced.
Floors and Carpeting
If you have a small leak on your hands, and it is dealt with promptly, you may be able to avoid damages to your floors and carpeting. If you have a full-on flood or standing water, most likely your carpets and flooring material will have to be replaced. Carpets, hardwood floors, laminated coverings, etc, usually need to be replaced if there has been a flood or standing water that has been sitting for days or even hours.
If you have any questions about water damage restoration, give us a call. We are here to help 24/7 365 days a year.
