I don’t have pictures but can add them later tonight…
I think an older window a/c unit in an upstairs bedroom has leaked into the window. The water has wicked downstairs in the wall to the ceiling and wall of the dining room below the bedroom. The wall faces South so it has heated up and the wall is wet and buckling on both sides where I can see it. There is black and green stuff (?probably mold) growing on the wall and ceiling in the dining room. The bedroom wall seems soft.
This is an old house with drywall on top of the old plaster/lathe. I’m no construction worker, but I can labor and get things done. I’m concerned about the mold and about trying to fix the walls but creating a bigger issue with the plaster/lathe substrate.
I’ll probably try to fix this myself, but where to start? Do I call a contractor? My homeowner’s insurance company? Any suggestions?
Replies
It seems like your homeowners' insurance would cover it, but I'm no expert. I'd probably start by calling them (or reading the policy).
You may not be qualified to do the reconstruction, but, after taking lots of pictures to document everything (and maybe even getting an adjustor or there so you can show the damage to him/her), you could don a mask and safety glasses and gloves and put plastic up and a fan in the window blowing out, in whatever room you are working in and remove the drywall, then the plaster, and then the lath.
You may have to call in mold experts (especially if insurance is involved), but you can also do the mold remediation yourself if you aren't allergic to it. The problem that I see is that there are many people who will tell you many methods for removing mold and keeping it from coming back. Some work, some don't, some are better than others. From what I've heard, scrubbing with detergent is a good method, but again, some recommend bleach (but others say absolutely do not use bleach). You may have to remove insulation if it is wet and/or moldy.
After you remove or have someone else remove the mold and everything is dry, you can replace insulation yourself, or hire that done too. Again there are about a thousand ways to insulate and everyone has their favorite.
You can, if you are somewhat handy, put up the drywall yourself and hire someone to tape and finish it. Unless you have done it before, or can live with less than a perfect job, I would definitely consider hiring a pro to do the drywall finishing.
Most people can do an okay job of painting, I just recommend PVA primer on the drywall before painting.
I'm sure others will chime in with answers soon. Hope it all turns out well for you! Sounds like a mess right now, but these things happen!
Homeowners Insurance is tricky in that it covers water damage only when it is "sudden and accidental" For instance, a burst pipe, overflowing toilet, ruptured well tank. It's not intended to be a maintenance policy - and this is a maintenance issue. Water damage that occurs over a long period of time, the hidden leak in the cabinet, the wet area around the toilet or bathtub, these things are not normally covered by your insurance.
Neither is workmanship, which may be the root cause of this damage; an improperly installed window unit.
I have, however, seen claims paid for clogged condensate lines that back-up and cause a leak. In all of the cases I'm familiar with, this was both sudden and accidental, didn't involve rot or mold, just the damage caused by the water.
Good luck with your repair.
Greg
here are a couple pictures:
the red wallpaper and ceiling is the dining room under the a/c bedroom
the print wallpaper wall is the other side of the red wallpaper; an enclosed porch
I've seen a couple replies; thank you. I'm going to get on the phone and try to get a couple estimates. I'm not sure I can find someone to skillfully repair this, and I can do the unskilled demo of pulling the old wall down. Maybe even do the remediation with as much guarentee as someone else. I've done enough drywall to believe it is best subbed out!
Dial-uppers will taunt you from their feelings of inferiority; here are some smaller versions of the pix - yep, looks like water damage - you'll need to get in there and investigate.
View Image
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Forrest
Edited 7/14/2008 9:37 pm ET by McDesign