The question of how to fix water damage in walls can be stressful, and create a lot of uncertainty! Can you do anything about it? Will you have to call anyone? Who?
The question is answered simply, right here, by a professional water damage mitigation company.
We’ll cover a few important things to know about water damage inside walls first, but if you want to skip directly to what you can do about fixing water damage in your wall, click here.
What Does Water Damage Inside Walls Look Like?
Signs that water got inside a wall usually include brown stains around the area, paint bubbling or cracking, and sometimes funky, gross odors near a certain wall. The drywall can sometimes also be soft and squishable to the touch.
You may observe any combination of these signs, not necessarily all of them. We will note, however, that if the only sign you notice is a musty odor in some area(s) of your property, that is a very strong sign that there is mold inside your walls somewhere. And usually, mold comes from moisture, which means there may be an undiscovered water problem as well.
What Happens if You Get Water in Your Walls?
If water gets in your walls, it almost always causes mold to grow. Depending on the amount of water, it can also soak into the wooden framing inside the walls, causing the wood to swell and bend!
How can water inside a wall cause mold to grow? There are 4 things that create an ideal growing place for mold: moisture, darkness, warmth, and organic material to feed on. The inside of your walls has all of that! It’s dark, water damage makes it moist, mold loves to feed on drywall and wood, and it’s warm and cozy. Read more about other places mold likes to hide in your house here.
Mold in your walls can also often cause mold sickness. This can be a big risk, as you can read here in this article from the United States EPA. We also cover the topic of mold sickness in our other professional articles here and here.
How to Fix Water Damage In Walls
In most cases, unfortunately, water damage inside your walls is not something you can fix yourself. This is because the techniques required to successfully repair the damage done are techniques only professionals can perform. There are 2 standard ways to fix water damage in a wall: dry it out, or replace it.
Sometimes, the damage done by the water is minimal enough that the drywall can be safely dried out! Drying out the cavity inside of intact walls requires a special piece of equipment that only certified professional mold remediation companies use (pictured below). It’s essentially a commercial-grade high-power fan, with many tubes attached to it. These tubes are stuck into small holes drilled into the drywall, and they blow high-powered air directly into the wall cavity! This is the only way to safely preserve the drywall intact.
If it is not possible to dry out the water-damaged drywall and keep it intact, then all the water-damaged drywall must be removed by a certified water damage mitigation company. This also requires careful, skilled work, and it is not something that should be DIYed. Click here to read more about the water damage mitigation process.
Who to Call to Fix Water Damage in Walls
If the water damage was caused by some kind of plumbing accident in your home, then the first person you called was a plumber. They’re the ones who should stop the source of the water. The second call you should make is to your insurance company (read more about that in the next section).
The third call you should be making is to a reputable water damage mitigation and restoration company, like Cleaner Guys. These professionals are the only ones with the training and equipment to properly and safely remove the water damage from your home. If you’re unsure how to find a trustworthy, reliable company to do this, read this article.
More Resources
Here are some additional resources you may find useful for your journey to a fully-restored home!
How to find a reputable, trustworthy restoration company →
The Ultimate Guide to dealing with mold if you live in an apartment →
How to find a water damage restoration company with 24/7 service →
Recognizing mold sickness (which may occur if you have water damage in your walls) →
If You Reside In Western Washington State
If you are anywhere north of Seattle in Western Washington State, consider Cleaner Guys as one of the wisest choices for your water damage restoration company. We’ve risen to be one of the most popular and well-loved in the area! This is because of our award-winning customer service and our commitment to better prices than the other companies. It’s also because of our high standards for quality work and professionalism.
If you need water damage restoration in Mount Vernon WA, and you don’t know who to call, give us a call today!
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. No part of this article is medical or legal advice, and may not be used as such. For all serious medical matters, consult your doctor. For all serious legal matters, consult your legal advisor. This article contains Cleaner Guys’ experience and opinions only.
