When drywall gets wet, there’s a chance you’ll have to replace it. While some drywall water exposure can be repaired, at some point the damage will be too great and replacement is a better option.
The question is, when should you replace your drywall over just repairing it? Sadly, it really is on a case by case basis and is very much situational as we’ll see below.
With that in mind, here are 6 questions to ask when drywall gets wet to determine whether it’s a repair or replacement project.
Have you stopped the source of the water?
Finding the source of a leak or other water damage can be difficult. While it could be a leaking pipe that is easy to locate and fix, it could be something more difficult.
I once noticed minor water damage on the ceiling of a finished basement and it took me a bit to figure out that it was from a minor leak on the pull out handle of a kitchen faucet tap on the floor above. It only leaked when the faucet was being used so it took a little while for the water damage to be noticeable and longer for me to figure out where it was coming from.
Water travels on the path of least resistance and can move a ways before it is noticeable, leading you to believe that the cause is something you aren’t able to quickly pinpoint.
Before you can address the drywall damage caused by water, you need to 100% solve the source of the water damage.
How much water was the drywall exposed to?
We already spoke on this website about how you can tell that your drywall is wet and as the article explains, it’s complicated. While measuring drywall with a moisture meter can give you a relative reading of how damp it is compared to another area of the drywall, the measurement is just that: A relative comparison.
You would expect drywall in a bathroom to already be more moist than in a bedroom. But a moisture meter reading may not tell the whole story for a number of reasons outlined in the article linked above.
Drywall should be replaced when there is doubt as to whether or not it should be replaced. If it’s wet enough to make you wonder if it should be replaced, it probably should be.
As mentioned above, water damage may be seen immediately or it might be over time. The longer it takes you to recognize water damage on drywall, the more likely you’ll have to deal with mold and mildew which increases the chance you’ll have to replace it due to health concerns
among others.
What signs of damage does the drywall have?
Obvious signs of drywall damage from water exposure include:
- Water spots – Water spots appear when the damage is occurring and gives you an idea where the leak is coming from. Once it dries, it will appear as a stain.
- Water stains – On drywall, water stains can appear as brownish stains or other colors depending on whether the drywall has been painted and the color of the water it was impacted by. Stains are often darker around the edges.
- Discoloration – Discoloration of drywall can depend on the color of the drywall and the type of water that damaged the drywall i.e. Was it sanitary water? Contaminated water? What if the water came from rusty pipes or from a toilet with blue chemical bowl cleaner in it?
- Peeling paint or wallpaper – Once the water has penetrated the drywall, it can get underneath paint or wallpaper and causing peeling or chipping of paint or cause wallpaper to come away from the wall.
- Bubbling on the surface – Bubbles that appear on drywall often means that water damage has come from behind the wall perhaps from a leaking pipe or water from outside the house.
- Crumbling of the drywall – When water saturates drywall and then dries, it can cause it to crumble especially in corners and near the bottom of the wall where water can pool.
- Sagging of the wall – Sagging of drywall is often a result of an overhead leaking pipe in the ceiling or a leak in the wall itself.
Depending on the situation, the extent of damage may necessitate replacing the drywall rather than repairing it.
Was the water that impacted your drywall clean or contaminated?
Many houses have both clean water and sewage water pipes in the walls and ceiling. Is the water that impacted your drywall clean or dirty? It will affect whether you need to replace the drywall or repair it.
Contaminated water will necessitate replacing the drywall whereas with clean water, you might be able to repair the drywall instead.
If your drywall was impacted by water from your toilet, flood water or from rusty pipes, that’s another reason for replacing the drywall completely.
Were you able to dry the drywall before mold set in?
Mold can set in within 24 – 48 hours after drywall gets wet so it’s important to get it dried as soon as possible. The longer the drywall remains wet, the more likely it will have to be replaced.
It’s also important to consider that if the water damage comes from behind the drywall, the water damage might have been occurring for several days or longer by the time it’s noticeable.
Once visible mold has set in, it’s likely that you need to replace the drywall given that further mold might be developing in other non-visible parts including the interior and opposite side of the drywall facing the inside of the wall.
Is there a sign of structural damage to the drywall?
Drywall isn’t load-bearing but it still serves a structural purpose. Structural damage to drywall can necessitate it being replaced if it’s damaged enough by water.
Also keep in mind that drywall has metal fasteners and frames which can rust and thus also suffer damage.
Water-soaked drywall should be replaced if it is soft to the touch.