Ok, tuesday I had a pipe split in my basement. It was behind drywall and there was quite a bit of water. I estimate 60-90 gallons. I cleaned up the water and an drying to dry out the basement with a dehumidifier. I have 2 questions. Is there a better way to get the humidity out of a basement than a normal humidifier?
The other question is, would you replace the drywall that got wet? This happened tuesday. I just went down there and cut a 5"X5" section out. The drywall was dry as a bone and the insulation behind was dry. Is it safe to let go or do I need to tear it out and hang new stuff up?
NYG95GA
SuperDork
3/18/10 12:12 p.m.
If it's a dry as it seems, then I would leave it be. If it ain't broke, why fix it?
The insulation seems dry as a bone, and the drywall seems like it never got wet.
And the humidity down there is 54%, that's about 5-10 points lower than upstairs.
How deep was the water on the floor? If it was less than an inch and a half high along the walls, and you got the water evacuated quickly, you should be fine.
Hey I get to use some knowledge Ive picked up. If you dried it out quickly and it feels dry now you are probably good to go.
The only thing you need to worry about is mold which can start within 72 hours. Since you were on top of the water remediation you are should be fine.
Thanks guys. The water never got more than 1" deep, and that wasn't along the walls. I got it out quick and it seems dry. I won't be painting down there any time soon so I plan on watching for mold. If it looks clear it sounds like I should be ok huh?
I did water damage/mold remediation for a while... sounds like you are good... if in question cut another chunk out in a few more days... but unless it seeped up the walls and into the insulation I wouldn't worry... insulation is the worse of the stuff... it's very hard to dry out... usually a lot easier to rip out then "fix"
dehu + some fans (air movers) blowing at the "affected area" plus some heat (our dehus put out some major heat) are best action plan... so good job :)
Another vote for a dehumidifier "just in case". Plus if you get a small-ish domestic unit, you can always use it in your garage if you live in a slightly humid climate.