Dealing with Fire Damage: Water, Drywall, and Carpet

[Echo 6 Sierra]

There was a fire upstairs and the sprinklers went off. FD was here pronto and got them shut off and all the water squeegeed out of that apartment. I had some leakage but mostly water stains on drywall seams, around light fixtures, and ac vents. The abatement (?) guy has cut holes the size of washing machines in my ceiling (4), holes all along the kickboards and has huge fans going all day as well as a dehumidifier. The mgmt is hem-hawing about repairs but I didn't sign a lease for a water damaged apartment and I don't want to live in nor pay for one. I'm thinking that it would be much easier to just pull down the remaining drywall and redo it all instead of trying to cut patches and making do.

The carpet looooks ok but the padding was pulled and will be replaced.

Once drywall gets wet can it be dried out and still be ok or does it lose its structural integrity? (I stuck my finger in a hole in the wall and felt around and it felt all crumbly)

The guy upstairs reminded me to keep any receipts associated with all that's happened so he can get me reimbursed if need be. He was very apologetic about the whole episode and was rather relieved that I wasn't going "high and to the right" about it. What could I do, it was an accident.

I know it's hard to tell but do any of you have a WAG on how long this drying out process will take?

 

[hypatia]

The abatement guy is there to make sure that no lead was exposed when cutting through painted surfaces.
Dry wall, does not dry well at all. If Iwere you, I would replace it. If its safe to run the air conditioner, I would use it to help draw the moisture out. Keep a eye out for mold.

Sorry to hear this happened to you, but at least you still have your "stuff". It could of been so much worse. Nice to have a fast acting FD

 

[Astronuc]

There was a fire upstairs and the sprinklers went off.

The carpet looooks ok but the padding was pulled and will be replaced.

Once drywall gets wet can it be dried out and still be ok or does it lose its structural integrity?

I know it's hard to tell but do any of you have a WAG on how long this drying out process will take?

I would not want to stay in a water damaged apartment. As hypatia mentioned mold could be a problem, to keep an eye open.

However, it sounds like water is behind the drywall, and that takes longer to dry out. The only way to speed drying is to blow (force) air into the walls behind the drywall.

It might take a few days for the drywall to dryout - depending upon humidity and temperature. Drywall does not bear load - the timber (studs) or concrete/steel frame does.

Normally, if a house is flooded, and the drywall is wetted or otherwise damaged, it's best to strip out the drywall and replace it.

 

[Moonbear]

I think until they can repair the damage to your apartment, your landlord should be providing you alternate accomodations, either at a hotel or in another unit that isn't damaged. You shouldn't have to live in a wet apartment with giant holes in the walls at all. That should also help facilitate getting the repairs done so they don't have to try to work around you and your schedule, just come in and get it done while you stay someplace else.

 

[Mk]

I would not want to stay in a water damaged apartment. As hypatia mentioned mold could be a problem, to keep an eye open.

If you leave bread out too long, mold grows on it.

 

[hypatia]

The yeast that makes bread rise is a mold, there are hundreds of different species of mold.
Bread mold will not kill you but some house molds like Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra) causes acute idiopathic hemorrhage, which there is no cure.

 

[Echo 6 Sierra]

Drywall does not bear load - the timber (studs) or concrete/steel frame does.

Gotcha. I misspoke. What I was wondering was if it will still be able to hang on the ceiling and not deteriorate to the point that it will fall on ma heed, be'un' as grrrand as it eez? My buddy that's a trim carpenter is coming for a visit this weekend and said he'll take notes and let me know what I could be in for.

I really like this place because it faces a greenbelt and is FAR away from traffic. There is a bridge nearby so I get cool bat clouds (mexican freetails) at dusk and plenty of swifts and songbirds. Fortunately the grackles have no food source nearby, however, a family of racoons and 4 feral cats roam because knuckleheads leave food out for them, damn hippies.

 

[Mk]

The yeast that makes bread rise is a mold, there are hundreds of different species of mold.
Bread mold will not kill you but some house molds like Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra) causes acute idiopathic hemorrhage, which there is no cure.

Yeasts are a family of fungi closely related to molds. The British version of the word is mould.