Do you know about the dangers of water damage in drywall?
Durable, lightweight and easy-to-install, drywall is also known as gypsum board and is a widely used home construction material. Nearly 20 billion square feet of drywall is installed in North America every year, the majority of which goes into building residential ceilings and walls.
While drywall is quite strong, it doesn’t get along with water. If it gets exposed to water for too long, it can get damaged and may even lose its structural integrity.
The drywall in your home can get wet in a variety of ways. The most common cause is that the pipes that run behind them can burst or spring a leak. Very heavy rains, thunderstorms, and flooding can also be likely causes. A problem in your roof can also lead to a leak that runs down through the ceilings down into the drywall.
Whatever the reason may be, when water finds its way into place it shouldn’t go, it can give rise to numerous hazards. Drywall water damage can be much more than what’s visible. Keep reading this post to find out about the hidden dangers of drywall water damage.
Staining, Bubbling, and Pitting
One of the most obvious signs of drywall water damage is staining. When drywall gets wet it gets permanently stained with minerals and contaminants in the water. If the water gets trapped between the layer of paint and the paper of the drywall, it appears as pitting or bubbling on the wall. While it can be repaired, this often requires a skilled drywall finisher to blend the area back in with the rest of the wall.
This problem becomes even greater if the source of water damage is raw sewage. Since drywall is very absorbent, it will absorb all the waste materials and toxins on the water leading to even more visible staining. It will have to be fully removed later to ensure that you get rid of all the toxins.
Structural Weakening
When the drywall is exposed to enough water, it turns to mud and will droop, sag and can even fall away from the screws and nails holding it to the drywall. This is more likely with anything heavy mounted on the drywall like shelves, cabinets, large picture frames that can pull out of the wall due to their weight.
Mold Growth
This is a no-brainer outcome of drywall water damage that can lead to serious health hazards. Wet drywall provides an ideal breeding ground for the growth of mold and bacteria. Growth of potentially dangerous strains can put your family at risk of allergy like symptoms, contracting illnesses or developing immune diseases from long term exposure.
To Sum Up
As you can see, drywall water damage can have serious consequences and therefore, it should be fixed without any delays. It’s most important to correct the problem that caused the water damage, then dry or replace the affected materials before making repairs to the drywall. Many times wet materials will look visibly dry well before they actually are dried out completely. You should generally rely on a professional service to ensure that the wet material has been safely dried or replaced before proceeding with repairs.
Please visit our website to get detailed information on drywall water damage restoration.
