Mold in living spaces has not only caused structural damages to homes, but has caused health problems to many people, too. It grows in unobserved places like drywall, which make mold even more dangerous.
If you have detected mold in your home’s drywall, be precautious. And make sure to find and correct the cause of the mold first before going ahead and repairing it. Fixing the source is often more challenging that repairing your moldy drywall. Causes can range from leaky pipes, improper vapor barrier installation, and roof leaks to as simple as constant water contact from tubs, showers and sinks.
Mold propagates and thrives in places where moisture is in excess and food is abundant. And in a water-damaged drywall, both are present. Since prolonged exposure to mold spores can be harmful, don’t put mold removal from drywall on hold. Consider talking to a mold removal specialist to determine what mold type is present in your drywall. You can typically take care of removing the mold from the drywall if it is non-toxic. Otherwise, hire a mold removal expert to do the job for you.
Repair the Moldy Drywall
Here is a simple guide on how to remove mold from drywall.
- Determine what area of the drywall you want removed, and mark it by drawing vertical and horizontal lines on the damaged drywall. You can use a pencil and a straightedge to do so.
- Make certain that there are no plumbing or electrical wirings that run behind the part of the wall with a marked cutout before cutting out the damaged section using a keyhole saw.
- Cut the corners of the damaged drywall, as well, to reduce damage to your ceilings or the adjacent walls when you start to remove it.
- Use a hammer to make a hole in the mold-infested drywall, and then remove it one piece at a time, making sure you’re minimizing any destruction to the other parts of the drywall.
- There are rare occasions when mold damaged in drywall is not caused by water leaks. Rather, it is either because the wrong type of drywall has been installed or the drywall has been installed behind tiles. You should remove the drywall completely if this is the case.
Repair the Leaks
Don’t waste time replacing your drywall, and then discovering later on that it has been damaged again for the same reason.
- Locate the cause of the mold damage and repair the source of the leak. It usually is obvious once the drywall is removed. However, if you can’t determine the source, it will be best to call a licensed contractor to have it repaired before putting the drywall back in.
- Besides the drywall, its wood framing may have fungal infection, as well. You should have the framing replaced if dry rot is found. A wet insulation must be replaced, too.
- Before replacing the drywall, clean the mold off, disinfect, and dry the exposed area. To mitigate mold from growing in the framing, paint it with ZOC (zinc oxychloride liquid).
