As a homeowner, you don’t want your beautifully painted walls to be compromised by water damage. Lingering moisture can wreak havoc on your home’s paint job, causing lasting, visible damage. That said, there are steps that you can take to deal with water damage to your home’s paint and regain smooth, good-looking painted walls. Keep in mind that if your home undergoes serious damage and requires extensive repainting, you can count on the expert Denver home painting team at Brush Strokes Painting to restore the appearance of your home’s interiors.
Understanding Paint Water Damage
Water damage to your home’s walls can stem from several sources. Burst pipes and major storms are among the most common causes of interior wall water damage, although excess humidity in your bathroom, laundry room, or kitchen may also cause this issue. No matter the cause, water damage can rapidly lead to mold growth if it’s not addressed and taken care of at the source.
As far as your Denver paint goes, bubbling, cracking, flaking, peels, and dark spots are the key signs that water damage has occurred. Paint bubbles and peels when water has accumulated behind the paint, causing it to stretch.
Can I Paint Over Water Damage?
Preventing water damage is always preferable to repairing the damage after it’s already occurred. Unfortunately, life can be unpredictable, and there may be circumstances beyond your control that cause water damage to your home’s paint job. So, what can you do to fix the problem?
Find The Source of The Water Damage
First off, you’ll need to find the source of the water that’s causing the damage. If the water damage seems to occur during storms, your roof could be leaking. However, if the water leakage is coming from your basement, the issue could be pipe damage. Make sure the leak, broken pipe, or other damage is resolved before you start to deal with the paint.
If you’re dealing with water damage in a room that’s exposed to a lot of humidity, like the bathroom, consider improving the ventilation in that room and/or installing a dehumidifier.
By skipping this step, you’ll probably run into more water damage in the near future. So, don’t try to cut corners: Find the source of the water to make sure that you eliminate the issue for good.
Dry Out The Area
Before repainting the walls, it’s necessary to fully dry out the area. Priming or painting damp walls will lead to immediate bubbling or blistering. Wipe away any surface water with a rag, open all the windows for maximum ventilation, and consider using a dehumidifier. For major leaks, you may need a professional’s help to fully dry out the affected walls, given that water can deep into drywall.
Eliminate The Mold
Moisture creates an optimal environment for mold to grow. Mold can grow as quickly as 24 hours after an area becomes damp, so you’ll likely need to clean out at least some mold. A musty odor and/or black or brown spots on a wall indicate mold growth. Mold poses a health risk to your household and needs to be fully eliminated before you move on with the painting process.
A solution of one part bleach, three parts water can be used to remove mild cases of mold growth. For more severe mold, your best option is to contact a mold removal professional.
Remove The Damaged Paint
Before applying a new coat of paint, you’ll need to get rid of the damaged paint. Bubbling, flaking, and peeling paint can be scraped off with a paint scraper. You may also want to sand away the remaining paint to create a smooth, flat surface that you can easily repaint.
Painting The Wall
After removing the damaged paint, cleaning the wall, and allowing it to dry completely, you can start the process of priming and painting. Be sure to properly prepare the area by laying down a tarp to catch paint splatters. Additionally, apply a sealer binder before the primer to prevent moisture in the walls in the future.
When the wall has been fully prepared, apply the primer and allow it to dry completely. Then, use a roller to apply two coats of paint, allowing it to dry in between each coat.
For professionally repainted walls, contact your Denver home painting team, Brush Strokes Painting.
