Wet Walls – Should You Rip open the wall?
The problem is, how do you dry wet insulation located inside a wall / ceiling cavity, or the backside of the wallboard?
The BEST solution with wet insulation is to replace it. Wall board can be dried in place if there is no obvious swelling and the seams are
intact, and if you can get adequate airflow to the wet surfaces. If not, remove and discard it.
Wall cavities should be ventilated.
I’d be lying if I said I never violated this best practice principle. Several years back, I had two simultaneous, ice dam leaks in my house, prior to installing a new roof with full-coverage ice and water shield. Luckily, I was able to stop the leaking within 1 hours of
noticing it.
I did not open up the wall because I have extensive wainscoting and crown molding trim on the wall, and I didn’t want to tear it out. That does not mean some mold did not grow in that wall cavity, I’m sure it did.
Mold Concerns
A lot of people ask us how long it takes mold to grow after a recent water incident; this is the most common
question that arises in a persons mind after a leak.
Most research says that mold will start to grow in the first 24 to 48 hours after a leak, under ideal conditions.
In my experience most leaks that are stopped fast enough, and dried out properly do not develop into mold issues. It’s the longer term, constant leaks that you have to be concerned about.
Mold spores needs three
things for growth and thrive:
- Food: (i.e. cotton, leather, drywall, wood, paper products and others).
- Water
- Optimal Temperatures: temperatures 32 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit
Take away one of the ingredients and mold will not grow. The first thing to do is try to limit the “wetting” damage by collecting or catching the water and stopping the leak.
Good circulation throughout the home is
important to eliminate dampness or potential moisture;
Proper drying is important.
What is most important is how fast, and how well the flooded areas are dried. Many times a person will think that moisture was removed when in fact enough moisture was left behind to allow mold to start growing.
In some cases,
mold growth may not be obvious. It is possible that mold may be growing on the back side of drywall, wallpaper, or wood paneling, the top of ceiling tiles, the underside of carpets and pads, inside duct-work, etc. If you believe that you may have a hidden mold problem, you may want to consider hiring an experienced professional.
How to properly dry out a property.
Proper drying often involves discarding wet carpets and carpet pads because they trap moisture and hamper drying. If the flood was extensive, it may be helpful to remove the baseboards because these baseboards can trap water and prevent proper drying.
Use a combination of the following:
- Wet vacuums to remove standing water
- Fans to move air - goal
is rapid drying!
- Dehumidifiers to dry the air are helpful, dehumidifiers can dry and maintain air humidity levels between 30%Relative Humidity [RH] and 50%RH it will help everything else in the area dry faster.
- Consult a specialist in mold remediation, flood damage or carpet drying.
- Open walls and ceilings as needed
- Remove and discard wet insulation
- Throw out anything that cannot be cleaned—when molds get inside
materials like carpets and mattresses, they cannot be cleaned. Throw them away. But you can get rid of molds in bedding, curtains, drapes and clothes by washing or dry-cleaning them.
- Some non-porous materials can be cleaned with a mold remediation product and a scrub brush.
Killing Mold:
The single best method for eliminating mold in your home is through the use of a certified, mold
remediation professional.
If you’re a “DIY kinda guy,” like me, you may want to try using a mold remediation product such as Sporcidin. Sporicidin Brand mold remediation products have been used for cleaning and restoration applications for mold remediation and sewage, bio-hazard, and flood clean up.
