Does anyone have experience with minor water damage in a home? I have heard the restoration and remediation business is full of shady companies. We had a pipe leak behind one of our walls. It was a pin (small) leak behind our bathroom wall. The other side of the bathroom wall is the garage. The damaged area was about 5 feet to the end of one wall. Perpendicular to that wall was damage behind a base board about 3 feet to a bathroom entrance. The damage is about 6 inches above the floor? Would using fans and a humidifier without demolition be of any help? Is that even necessary?
Drywall? How 'soaked' was it? If it is drywall is it flaking? Your big issue I'd imagine is the possibility of mold. Not all the companies are shady; are there any handyman types in the area?
no, you have to remove the wet material and make sure the water is cleaned up, dried and treated so mold does not occur. in my business i use serv pro and and other reputable companies to treat the water damage. your homeowners would most likely pay for the clean and repair subject to your deductible. mold is something you do not want , trust me
Id second the Serv Pro reccomendation as well. Removal will def prevent issues down the line. Good luck whichever way you attack it!
We can't file an insurance claim. If we do this would be our third claim and our insurance agent said unequivocally that they would no long want to insure our home. This will have to be out of pocket. On a scale of 1 to 10 I would say a 6. Not a lot of flaking.
Do not half ass water damage you can lead to huge problems in a home if it is not dried out and moisture is allowed to sit stagnant even in small amounts mold can easily spread in a moist environment and cause entire walls or rooms to need replacement over time. It is not uncommon for problems people think will get better from minor half ass repairs to cause houses to be condemned from mold over time or at least in sellable.
From what you are talking about, this is simple stuff. Tear off the drywall - going a few feet or more past the damage area. Dry it out - TOTALLY. Maybe replace some of the 2x4 - maybe. New dryall and you are done. You can do the demo, and clean up. Pretty much any handyman can do the drywall. Simple stuff. FYI - the drywall man needs a stud to NAIL the new stuff too.
And, by the way, this is probably not the best place to get DYI information. Some of us (me) are gambling degenerates. I just happen to be handy enough to dryall a house if needed.
Lets assume that mold does form. What are the chances of it effecting our lives? What are the chances of us smelling it around our home? Personally, this mold stuff seems blown out of proportion.
Change the area of drywall that is damaged. Period. No mold issues. (as long as you have all the damp areas atteneded too) youll be good. You are stuck in the area of doing it yourself or hiring it out. You hire out: be certain the guy is dedicated to good work. You do it: just do it as you would want it done. Be complete. $ notwithstanding; hire out. You capable? You can do this; its really a minor rehab.
No stress is really speaking true. It aint brain surgery. Wet; remove. Dry; OK. Vacuum. clean. you can.
Forgive me if I sound curt but Ive done this stuff all my life and it is not hard at all even if you have never done it. You just really need to care in the execution of the objective; and complete the job.
Don't minimize the mold effect. After hurricanes in Florida, and lots of water damage, mold has been a HUGE health issue for many, many people. Good luck, hope you find an equitable solution.
I train folks who do this. We make the infrared cameras that can see the water as it evaporates so the extent of the moisture damage is sometimes more than you expected. Air ventilation - several fans - a good dehumidifier and ripping out all that you think is wet as soon as possible is necessary. It does take some time for mold to grow but when it does it's hard to get out and not a job for the homeowner, who usually manages to spread it. Insurance companies are indeed tough to deal with. The three claims issue is common. We had a huge snowstorm followed by rain one year. The combined weight sheared the deck off my house. First claim in 25 years. Under $3000. They gave me a 30 day notice of cancellation! There were over 200 roof collapses in the area and all I suffered was a deck collapse. Turds. Good luck.
Mark is correct. Cut the old wet drywall off in a dry area. The straighter the cut the better. Let the area dry and replace drywall. This is very easy.
I know a little too much about water damage in a home. I'm sorry you're joining the club. What I can tell you for sure is to spend the money to prevent it happening again. Don't assume anything was done right previously. And if you don't fix it properly you're going to have troubles down the road. Mould isn't sexy. It's a real hazard if you have a mould-mould spore allergy. You're getting off easy if all you have to do is address the initial plumbing issue, ventilate/dehumidify and replace the drywall. Your situation sucks but it could be a lot worse.