From burst pipes and sewage backups to flooding and firefighting efforts, water can easily soak through walls. Water where it doesn’t belong can be a nightmare.
This is especially true with wet drywall and water damage remediation projects. When drywall gets wet, it weakens, warps and can become a health hazard. To prevent long-term problems, contractors and maintenance teams need a water removal plan to remove and replace wet drywall as soon as possible. In this article, you’ll learn how to remove wet and damaged drywall quickly and safely.
What Are the Dangers of Ignoring Wet Drywall?
Sometimes you don’t realize water has seeped into drywall until you see stains, bubbling paint or mold. Unfortunately, these visible signs can be indicators that there is a bigger problem behind the wall.
If you don’t address wet drywall as soon as you know there’s a problem, it could result in:
- Mold Growth and Structural Integrity Issues: Even if the wall looks dry, mold may be growing inside, worsening the indoor air quality. Wet drywall also loses structural integrity over time, putting the ceiling and other areas at risk of collapsing.
- Health Risks: Mold and weakened walls are a health risk to anyone inside the structure. Mold can cause severe health problems. Weak walls may collapse and cause injury.
- Loss of Energy Efficiency: Wet drywall and insulation lose a lot of their ability to keep rooms comfortable. Even after they dry, water damaged drywall will never insulate properly again. Additionally, wet drywall can warp, creating air leaks and further reducing energy efficiency and the integrity of the walls.
- Ugly Aesthetics and Lower Property Value: Water stains, warped walls and other visible damage harms the property value even if there no mold or structural issue exist. Buyers see visible damage as a red flag that the building may cost them more to repair than it’s worth.
Learn more about the risks of poor indoor air quality from OSHA and moisture control for construction and maintenance from the EPA.
How to Remove Wet and Damaged Drywall
1. Prepare the Site and Gather Equipment
Before you start removing and repairing wet drywall, you need to make sure the area is safe to work in and gather the right equipment to make the job go smoothly.
To Prepare the Site:
- Turn Off the Water Main and the Power: Turning off the power is especially important if electrical components got wet or if there is standing water. If there is an active leak from a burst pipe or you suspect one, turn off the water main.
- Remove Standing Water and Wet Objects: Use pumps to quickly remove standing water, then dry the floor. Remove soaked furniture and anything near or on the walls.
- Start the Dehumidifier: Run a desiccant dehumidifier throughout the project to keep the surrounding air free of excess moisture.
- Check for Asbestos and Hazardous Waste: If there is contaminated water (from a flood or sewage backup) or materials that could contain asbestos, consult cleanup experts to minimize the spread of disease and asbestos.
- Repair the Source of the Damage: Fixing wet drywall won’t help if there’s still a burst pipe or leaky roof. Find the source of the water and fix it before continuing.
- Prepare a Path for Disposal: Wet drywall is bulky and heavy. Make sure you have a plan for safely moving it through the building to a dumpster or trash site.
Equipment You Will Need to Remove Wet Drywall:
- Desiccant Dehumidifier – to dry the area
- Tarps or Drop Cloths – to ease cleanup and keep dust and mold spores contained
- Utility Knife – to cut the drywall
- Pry Bar – to help remove drywall from studs
- Hammer – to help remove and install drywall
- Drywall Saw – to cut new pieces of drywall
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Gloves, Dust Mask, Safety Glasses – to avoid contact with contaminated water, mold spores and other fine debris like insulation
- Wheelbarrow – to transport heavy, wet drywall out of the building
Learn more about dehumidifier use
- How Do Desiccant Dehumidifiers Work?
- Can An Air Conditioner Be Used as A Dehumidifier?
2. Mark the Chalk Lines
While marking chalk lines isn’t strictly necessary, it will make installing new drywall much easier. Level chalk lines help you make straight cuts that will align nicely with fresh drywall.
To make the chalk lines, figure out how far the water damage goes. Remember, even if the surface looks dry, there may be water on the back side of the drywall.
- If Rooms Flooded from the Bottom Up: Find the point where the water was the highest. Then create a level, horizontal line at least 12 inches higher. Often, this will be 2 to 4 feet above the floor, around the entire room.
- If Damage Came from the Ceiling: If water came from the top down, due to flooding on the floor above or fire sprinklers, the drywall may be wet all the way to the floor. Find the width of the wet area. Then create vertical chalk lines 12 inches to the left and right of the wet area.
- If Water Damage Is Minimal: If damage is minimal and you’re wondering how to repair minor water-damaged drywall, find the edges of the wet spot. Measure 12 inches away from the top, bottom and sides. Create a rectangle of chalk lines surrounding the wet spot.
3. Protect the Area from Dust
Tape tarps to the floor to help protect it from dust and damage as drywall is removed. This will also make cleanup easier as waterlogged drywall can make quite a dusty, sloppy debris mess. Additionally, seal windows, vents and doorways to keep dust and mold spores from reaching other rooms. Lastly, cover anything you can’t remove from the room with tarps.
Keep in mind, older homes may have joint compound or other materials that contain asbestos. Removing asbestos requires extra precautions to keep it contained.
4. Cut and Loosen the Drywall
It’s time to remove waterlogged drywall. Use a utility knife to cut a straight line along your chalk lines. Once you have your vertical cuts, make horizontal cuts to make the drywall sections manageable. When making cuts, make sure the knife goes about three-quarters of the way through the drywall.
How to Remove Drywall Once Cuts Are Made:
- Use a hammer to put a hole in each section so that you can pull the drywall off the wall.
- Make sure the holes you make are between the studs.
- Use a pry bar or shovel to break down and remove the damaged drywall.
- Make sure to remove all pieces of the drywall, including the parts attached to studs.
5. Remove the Debris and Check for Interior Damage
Now, remove all the wet drywall from the room and dispose of it properly. Use wheelbarrows to haul heavy materials.
Examine the inside of the walls to find out how deep the water went. Remove the insulation and any other wet debris. If foam plastic insulation is used, it can be left in place and allowed to dry. If electrical boxes were damaged or soaked, allow them to dry and have an electrician repair them.
6. Dry and Sanitize the Water-Damaged Area Completely
Once all the damaged materials are removed, it’s time to make sure the area is 100% dry and sanitary. The drying process may take a few days, depending on how humid the air is. Do not rush this as it is important to get everything fully dry before installing new materials.
- Increase Ventilation and Dehumidify: Use high-powered fans and dehumidifiers to dry out the area. Failure to fully dry the area can result in mold growth and other problems in the future.
- Once Dry, Sanitize: Clean and sanitize all remaining surfaces to remove any existing mold and contaminants and prevent new mold from growing.
7. Install and Paint New Drywall
Finally, you can install the new drywall. If you used chalk lines to ensure that you have clean uniform lines, the process will go much smoother. Install the new drywall as required by local building codes.
Allow all joint compound to dry fully before painting. Keep dehumidifiers running to speed up this process and keep moisture in the air from damaging the unpainted drywall. If only a portion of drywall was replaced, paint the entire wall so that the old and new paint don’t clash.
Keep Your Site Dry with Dehumidifiers and Water Removal Solutions from Herc Rentals
Water damage restoration requires a completely dry project site and expert advice from those skilled in water removal. Humid air and lingering moisture can slow down the project, allowing mold to grow.
The next time you need to fix wet drywall, rent a high-quality desiccant dehumidifier from Herc Rentals or chat with our experts about water removal solutions. Our dehumidifiers eliminate dampness from the air, speeding up the drying process and keeping the area free from excess moisture.
It can be challenging to keep moisture at bay in tight spaces or in humid climates. Our dehumidifiers provide an energy-efficient moisture removal solution for a variety of sites and ever-changing weather conditions.
Our equipment experts will help you find the best dehumidifier for your project. We can also deliver the equipment to your site, saving you valuable time in the race against mold growth.
Explore our selection of dehumidifiers today or call 888-777-2700 to discuss options with an expert and get started.
