Repair Interior Water Damage

Finding and fixing the source of interior water damage is the first step in any water damage repair process. A water leak can cause damage a long distance from the actual leak. Before any repair work is done on walls, floors or ceilings the source of the leak must be found or a lot of work will be done and the damage will re-occur.

Simple Water Damage Repair

Simple water damage is easy to repair. Simple water damage is damage that is caused by sprayed or spilled water. Let the wet area dry and use a stain sealing product if the damage is on a wall or ceiling and repaint. Floors usually are ok if they are cleaned up quickly.

Find and Fix the Source of the Leak

Water damage caused by water seeping through walls or ceilings or totally soaking a floor is an entirely different matter and professional contractors need to be called in before any repair work is done. The professionals will immediately start to work on finding the source of the problem. Once the source of the problem is found and repaired then the repair work on walls, ceilings and floors can begin.

Removing Damaged Materials

After the source of the problem is fixed, damaged drywall on ceilings and walls needs to be removed and the areas behind or above needs to thoroughly dry. Complete drying will prevent mold, mildew and smells associated with dampness. There may be a vapor barrier in the damaged area and if so it may take longer to dry because water tends to spread out over vapor barriers. When the damaged areas are dry the repair of the surface can begin. A professional contractor will repair damaged wall area or damaged ceiling area with the proper materials and finish the repair so that it is invisible.

Replacing/Repairing Damaged Materials

Refinishing drywall is a skilled job or a giant patch will show. When the damaged material is replaced it needs to be primed before it is painted and then final painting can take place. For the best results after the repair work is done repaint the entire wall or ceiling to make everything look new.
Water damage to floors can be simple or a major repair. If the floor is covered with a floor covering such as tile or linoleum and there is a basement the coverings can probably be saved, tile is a hardy application and can take water to a point, your contractor can determine if tile actually needs to be taken up and replaced.
Wet carpet is the worst, even if it is cleaned and allowed to dry the sub-floor may still be damp and a smell, mildew or mold may develop.
Water damaged hard wood floors will swell and buckle and only a professional contractor can repair this damage. Many times a professional can save a water damaged hardwood floor however if the damage is sever enough the floor may need to be replaced.

Use a Professional

Repair of interior water damage is best left to professionals. The lingering effects of water damage tend to last if not repaired correctly and smells and stains can develop weeks and months after the apparent problem has been solved. Professionals know what to do to avoid this un-pleasant surprise.