Drying minor water damage to drywall is possible if you attack it immediately before the drywall swells and the seams began to split. Made from crushed gypsum rock and encased between two sheets of heavy paper, drywall is porous and acts like a sponge if left in standing water. You must remove drywall with heavy water damage from the wall and replace it because of the dangers of mold growth. However, you can dry drywall that has minor water damage while it's on the wall without replacing it.
Instructions
1. Slide a pry bar between the top of the baseboard and the drywall. Place a thin piece of wood between the pry bar and the drywall to protect the drywall from further damage. Carefully pry the baseboard off the bottom of the drywall.
2. Drill 1/2-inch holes into the bottom of the drywall next to the floor every 16 inches. This ensures you have a hole between each wall stud. The holes allow air to circulate behind the drywall. The baseboard will cover the holes once you replace it onto the wall.
3. Place a dehumidifier in the room along with floor fans to remove the moisture from the drywall and push more air behind the wall. Rent dehumidifiers and floor fans from a rental service. The rental service can help you determine how many dehumidifiers and floor fans you need based on the amount of water damage and the square footage of your home.
4. Leave the dehumidifiers and fans in your home for at least 48 hours. Check the drywall with a moisture meter to determine if moisture still exists in the drywall. Run the fans and dehumidifiers until the moisture detector indicates the drywall is dry.
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