Signs of Water Damaged Drywall Look for discoloration on the wall, often with streaks from the ceiling. Also, drywall that swells and changes color can show up as soft, bubbly spots. Mold and drywall damage often go hand in hand. Seeing mold, especially at corners and edges, means there's moisture in the wall.
The presence of water can cause staining and discoloration, bulging, sagging, and mold issues. The above signs and possible damp smells of mold tell us that your drywall has water damage and will likely need to be replaced.
If you notice a lot of bumps or uneven surfaces, then it's likely due to improper drywall finishing. Keep in mind, some roughness near lower levels of the finish might be acceptable, but be sure to pay close attention to corners and edges as these areas can especially appear to be uneven.
What Does Wet Drywall Look Like? Wet drywall can be invisible—which makes it all that more important to know how to detect it. Other times, wet drywall can leave a grease or coffee-colored stain, mold, or visible structural damage such as cracks or peeling paint.
Extensive discoloration, bulging, sagging, damp smells and mold are all signs that your drywall may have suffered irreparable water damage. Removing the moisture source is the priority, but a drywall replacement is often the next step.
If your walls have a lot of holes, gouges, or marks, putting drywall on the existing drywall can be one way to give them a facelift. You may also decide to put drywall over drywall if you've come to regret your previous design choices, such as old wallpaper or paneling.
Signs of Water Damaged Drywall
Look for discoloration on the wall, often with streaks from the ceiling. Also, drywall that swells and changes color can show up as soft, bubbly spots. Mold and drywall damage often go hand in hand. Seeing mold, especially at corners and edges, means there's moisture in the wall.
Extent of Water Exposure
Minor exposure can be remedied through proper drying techniques. However, if the drywall has been soaked or submerged, especially for a prolonged period, replacement is often the best option. Prolonged water exposure can weaken the structural integrity of the drywall.
The health effects (respiratory irritation, headaches, sinusitis, eye irritation, throat irritation, malaise/weakness, and others) reported by these families are consistent with known health effects from sulfur gases, and with symptoms reported by others living in homes constructed with Chinese drywall.
What is the average lifespan of drywall? Under normal conditions, gypsum panels and gypsum plaster have an expected service life of well over 50 years. This compares favorably to other materials, like stucco, which you can learn about in our article on the lifespan of stucco.
One key difference between the two is that sheetrock is a brand name of drywall made by the United States Gypsum Corporation. Another difference lies in their production process; sheetrock has a slightly denser core than drywall due to the addition of a small amount of wood fiber to the gypsum core.
No mold doesn't always grow after a leak. If the temperature isn't right or if the leak is properly dealt with quickly, there's a chance that mold spores won't be able to take root or grow.
Discoloration, often appearing in the form of streaks that can be short or quite long, running down the wall in affected areas. Water rings, usually a light brown color. Cracked, bubbling, or flaking paint.
There are some cases where you could simply spray moldy drywall with a mold stain remover. Clorox Clean Up is cheap and works well, but there are many others. You can use mold stain remover when the black mold is a simple “surface mold” caused by humidity.
Discoloration: One of the most obvious signs of water damage in walls is discoloration. If you notice any yellow, brown, or dark stains on your walls or ceiling, it could be a sign of water damage. Peeling or bubbling paint or wallpaper: Water damage can cause paint or wallpaper to bubble, peel, or become discolored.
Mold discovered on the interior walls of a rental is an environmental hazard that can cause concern among tenants. Not only does it look unpleasant, but exposure to toxic mold is a health hazard that could cause health problems such as respiratory issues, rashes, and chronic fatigue.
Large holes make the structure of the wall vulnerable to forces that act upon it. If you have any holes larger than five inches across, you need to consider replacing drywall. It's also a good idea to replace drywall if a confined area has many small holes.
mildew and mold will develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure. Even worse, it will continue to grow until steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture, and effectively deal with the mold problem. Use the diagram on the facing page to assess the extent of mold in your home.
Homeowners insurance doesn't usually cover mold damage or removal unless it's the result of a covered peril. If the mold in your residence was caused by something sudden or accidental, such as a bursting pipe or some other covered incident on your policy, you may be protected.