Owner`s manual

Drying and Repairing Walls
REMEDIES FOR INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES
Walls must be dry from the
inside out before restoration,
repainting or recovering can
begin. Even when walls feel dry
to the touch, the material inside
the wall may be wet. Drying the
inside of the walls may take
weeks or even months. The total
drying time will depend partially
on the amount of dry air that can
circulate through the studding
and different wall materials.
Plaster and paneling can often
be saved, but you still need to
get air circulating in the wall
cavities to dry the studs and
sills. Wallboard soaked by dirty
floodwater will need to be
replaced. If the wallboard was
damaged by clean rainwater,
consider cutting a 4- to
12-inch-high section from the
bottom and top of walls. This
will create a “chimney effect” to
speed up drying time. A
reciprocating saw with a metal
cutting blade works well for this
task, but use only the tip of the
blade and watch out for pipes,
ductwork and wiring.
GUIDELINES FOR WALL COVERINGS AND
INSULATION
♦ Remove drywall, laminated paneling and plaster at least to the flood
level. Warping above the water level often occurs with drywall and
paneling, so more may need to be removed.
♦ Plaster walls can sometimes be adequately drained by removing the
baseboard and breaking out plaster and lath at the bottom of the wall.
Later the baseboard can cover the opening.
♦ Some paneling may be salvaged if allowed to dry slowly. Remove the
baseboard from paneled walls and pry off the individual sheets. Prop
them against the wall to dry. Don't allow them to dry in sunlight,
which may cause warping.
♦ Remove vinyl-covered wallpaper. It will restrict drying within
flood-damaged walls.
♦ Water-soaked insulation should be removed and replaced. It can hold
water for months, causing odor and decay problems. While wet it has
little insulation value.
♦ Consider wainscoting as a restoration option if flooding is no higher
than 3 feet above the floor.
PATCHING PLASTER
Do not attempt to repair plaster until walls and inner walls (studding and
insulation) are completely dry. If walls were flooded extensively, you may
need to wait four to six weeks, or even several months, before attempting
repairs.
Drywall compound is the preferred method for patching plaster. It comes
in a variety of types with different drying times, shrinkage characteristics
and consistencies. Read labels to select the type you need.
REPAIRING EXTERIOR SIDING
♦ Dry wall cavities from the inside if possible. (See previous section.)
♦ Remove small section of siding to check conditions on the reverse
side. If crevasses are filled with silt, remove siding to water level and
clean. Silt left in crevasses will trap moisture, causing mold, decay
and peeling paint.
University of Wisconsin-Extension • Cooperative Extension FLOOD-CLEAN-UP/REPAIR
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