# Wet insulation/dry wall help!!!!



## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

The fact that you were the person to have to point this out is inquire about the removal of the wall disconcerting.

Construction, and especially dealing with weather, is far from perfect. That being said, it is all about how the contractor addressing any situations after the fact.


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## daveb1 (Jan 15, 2010)

As well as removing all water damaged materials you must also find out where the water came from. The exterior shell should have been completed, water tight and inspected, and all plumbing and electrical hidden inside walls should have been completed and inspected before insulation and drywall was installed.


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

Hi Dave B, thanks for the post. They told me yesterday since the house wasn't finished the rain water got through the wind pipe, does that sound honest or like BS? I'm going to talk to them again in a few hours, should I address anything else?
Thanks!


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## daveb1 (Jan 15, 2010)

I am unfamiliar with the term wind pipe in reference to a house. I might know it by a different name (fresh air intake?). Perhaps you could let me know what it is after you ask them. What have they done to prevent water intrusion again? Was it a hard driving horizontal rain?


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Drywall will dry after wetting with no ill effects IF the paper backing was dried very soon after the wetting, not to mold. Forced air by portable fans or heat from the furnace reaching all backsides to dry the paper facing next to the studs (insulation removed). Fiberglass insulation wet at the bottom from an overhead water source should be replaced if allowed to puddle on the floor/bottom of drywall. This means the entire bay(s) where the bottom was wet have already been wet-clear to the top. All should be replaced due to mold growing there especially if a insulation paper-facer was used; http://www.inspectapedia.com/sickhouse/FiberglassMold.htm

Pictures would be helpful for us to view and required in any settlement.......

Gary


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

I will make sure to ask them tomorrow about the "wind pipe" and let you know. They did absolutely nothing to prevent rain from coming in again. In fact we went out there again today and the areas are even more covered in water and there was standing puddles of water upstairs in master due to it raining again last night. We live in Las Vegas, where it hardly rains, but shouldn't there still be procedures to follow if it does rain??
I wrote another complaint memo to superintendent and they said he would call me tomorrow to address everything. How do I know that everything in the house isn't wet, would it be unreasonable to ask them to take out at least 1 foot of drywall/insulation out in whole house and replace it?
Can I post pictures on this site, I took a bunch?

Thanks.


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

Tried to post pictures, says the file exceeds the 100KB limit. I can e-mail pictures to anyone who wants to see this. Let me know. Thanks.


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

Hi Gary, the drywall/insulation has been sitting there soaking wet for 3 days, there has been no attempt to dry anything! Would love to e-mail you pics of this shady work and get further opinions. Thanks.


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## daveb1 (Jan 15, 2010)

Is the drywall taped yet? It's a simple enough job to take down a few sheets and inspect behind if it's not taped.


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

Dave, not sure if it's taped yet, it's nailed down and the edges have metal enforcers around. They already did take a couple pieces of the dry wall down (the pieces that had water stains on them) that is how they found out the insulation was wet inside. But in most of the house the drywall feels wet but no water stains, so I think they need to tear up everything just to be sure the rest of the insulation isn't wet? 
I can email you pictures?


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

*Update*

They taped the inside of the house this morning, and they are telling me the roof was never sealed. Isn't that standard procedure to seal the roof before putting in the insulation/drywall inside? 

They also said they are sending out an environmentalist out on Monday to inspect the moist areas of the house. What exactly does an environmentalist do?


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

the wet insulation


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

Let me know what you guys think, the walls are wet like this throughout the whole 3000 sq feet. And the ceiling downstairs is wet.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

I think you should talk to your Building Department and show them. The roof has to be on before insulating walls. This is unacceptable. Remove all insulation under effected area, and the drywall.

Gary


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

*Roof not "dried in" before installing insulation/drywall*

Hi, on a new home does drying the roof in (or sealing and roofing tile) have to be done before installing insulation and drywall inside? If it's not is this pure negligence on the home builder or is this a legal matter (considering it rained on my house and now the bottom half insulation/drywall is soaked throughout the whole house, including ceiling) See pictures.
Thanks.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

> Hi, on a new home does drying the roof in (or sealing and roofing tile) have to be done before installing insulation and drywall inside?


I don’t think that’s written anywhere that you have too but common sense would say you would. 



> If it's not is this pure negligence on the home builder or is this a legal matter (considering it rained on my house and now the bottom half insulation/drywall is soaked throughout the whole house, including ceiling)


It certainly is the responsibility of the builder. Whether it’s a legal matter or not will depend on how the builder deals with the situation. 

As pointed out in your other thread any insulation that got wet and damaged drywall should be replaced with new. Mold is a serious issue.

The builders or roofing contractors liability insurance should cover this.

What has the builders response been so far?


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## daveb1 (Jan 15, 2010)

kwikfishron said:


> I don’t think that’s written anywhere that you have too but common sense would say you would.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
You also asked about an environmentalist. I suspect he would say there is no mold at this time. If your builder was to fix the leak and remove the wet materials, the building would be dry by Monday.


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

KWIK, the superintendent wont ever call me back because "the sales people told me he has been so busy, and so stressed about the situation." Which makes me feel great about the situation. The sales person also told me they are sending out an environmentalist on Monday to detect all the moisture areas. I want them to do what daveb said and fix the roof and just remove all wet materials and once the house is dry then replace insulation/drywall. Is that to much to ask?


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Cdessel said:


> KWIK, the superintendent wont ever call me back because "the sales people told me he has been so busy, and so stressed about the situation." Which makes me feel great about the situation. The sales person also told me they are sending out an environmentalist on Monday to detect all the moisture areas. I want them to do what daveb said and fix the roof and just remove all wet materials and once the house is dry then replace insulation/drywall. Is that to much to ask?


Don’t know what all of the stress is about on his end. This is why we have liability insurance and pay a pretty sum for it too. It saved my ass once before.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

The exterior walls and roof are required to be "dried-in" before any electrical wiring is done. As daveb1 said in post #3, earlier. If the roof wasn't tar papered or felt installed, it is in direct violation of electrical code. The walls require housewrap or builders paper, usually not completely sided as sometime the gables are sided later (but still weathered in).

Gary


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

Don't let them just "dry it out". Any insulation or drywall that got wet and wasn't completely dried within 72 hours has got the start of mold colonies already forming in it. Even if it eventually dries, it is compromised. Insist on someone going around the house with a moisture meter and marking off anything that is above normal levels of moisture. Even if you can't feel the dampness, it may be present. Insist also that any wetted material be cut back no less than 12" past the wet line. Drywall will wick moisture for a long distance if left undried. They should also thoroughly dry the framing before reinstalling new insulation and drywall. New drywall hung over wet framing just becomes more wet drywall.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Hey Cdessel, any updates?

I’d sure like to know how this one turned out with the contractor.


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

Does that house have a brick veneer as an outside sheathing? Are there windows above the area that is getting wet. I had a similar situation where the window sills were a rowlock course of brick and the mortar joints were leaking water. The water was running down behind the brick veneer. Check out this youtube video showing the water being drawn into the mortar joints.

My remedy was to have the rowlocks replaced with limestone sills.


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## Cdessel (Sep 13, 2011)

@ Kwik, after tearing out the wet drywall/insulation, they supposedly hired an environmentalist to come out and detect all moist areas, they said the moisture test passed. I then asked for a copy of the moisture test and the sales associate told me that "I wont get a copy since the home builder doesn't even get a copy only there attorney gets a copy." Which made no sense to me, you would think they would be more than happy to give me a copy of the test, if it passed? I kept pushing them for it and finally they said I would get a copy when I close on the house. I have my first walk through on Monday.


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## hammerlane (Oct 6, 2011)

Sorry forgot to post the link to that video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCapxd9AixQ&feature=fvst


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

Cdessel said:


> @ Kwik, after tearing out the wet drywall/insulation, they supposedly hired an environmentalist to come out and detect all moist areas, they said the moisture test passed. I then asked for a copy of the moisture test and the sales associate told me that "I wont get a copy since the home builder doesn't even get a copy only there attorney gets a copy." Which made no sense to me, you would think they would be more than happy to give me a copy of the test, if it passed? I kept pushing them for it and finally they said I would get a copy when I close on the house. I have my first walk through on Monday.


That makes no sense at all. Why would the builder, who is on the hook, not get a copy of the report? I'd love to see a copy of that report. With all the run around, I'm betting there isn't much to it if it exists at all. You should have your attorney insist on a copy ahead of time so you can review it.


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