Water damage to sheetrock

[Kristi2k]

We are looking at buying a house that has been foreclosed, heating pipes frozen over a winter as the house was not winterized. Had someone to a pressure check on the pipes to see how bad it is and in the dinning room there's a whole in the ceiling (looks like a mount for a fan) and water started to pour out of it from the pipe that ran across the ceiling to the upstairs baseboard heater.

If we were to buy the house, obviously holes would need to be cut into the ceiling to repair the pipe and then the Sheetrock would need to be repaired. Should we be concerned about mold or mildew after the problem(s) have been resolved?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

If it gets taken care of quickly it shouldn't be bad. But that's the key is being able to get it aired out and repaired in a timely fashion. Hire a home inspection to take a look at it. They should be able to tell you if it's a worry or not.

 

[Analog]

mold and mildew would be an issue if were continuously wet for a long period of time. That area is normally dry, and if properly repaired, it would not be a problem.

 

[Kristi2k]

That's what I was thinking, if the pipes were fixed the heat from those pipes would dry out the dampness, right? I am not familiar with these sort of things. The house is 5 years old if that matters.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

That's what I was thinking, if the pipes were fixed the heat from those pipes would dry out the dampness, right? I am not familiar with these sort of things. The house is 5 years old if that matters.

The heat from the pipes would NOT dry out the dampness. Depending on the type of insulation, you might need to remove it. Also, water may have traveled down inside the walls and cause further problems with mold and mildew. Have a thorough house inspection done.

 

[DrPizza]

I think the biggest question is - will you be doing the work, or will you be hiring a contractor. If you're doing the work, and the house needs such repairs, then hopefully you're getting a hell of a bargain on the house. Getting a mortgage is a bit more challenging because banks shy away from damaged homes. Generally, the bank holding the mortgage is going to sell it "as-is," so it's hard to meet any conditions put on the home by the new mortgage company.

 

[Mojoed]

In my area, there are plenty of licensed contracters who hang sheetrock for $20 per board. Both 4'x8' and 4'x12' are $20. This includes mudding or spackling. Insulation is cheap too. I can't imagine this type of repair costing *that* much.

 

[El Guaraguao]

u r sol.

at least when it comes to wet sheet rock.

 

[dullard]

I think this is what happened:
1) Water was shut off.
2) House was not winterized.
3) Pipes cracked, but since there was no water supply, there was virtually no leak. Thus, there was virtually no chance for mold/mildew (especially in the winter).
4) When water was turned on, there was a sudden leak, but that probably was discovered quickly and turned off.

If that is all correct, then it isn't too bad. This happened when my wife bought a house as we were dating. I fixed it myself.

You still have two problems. First, you'll have to fix all broken pipes. It took a day of my time and a few holes in the wall, but it wasn't too bad. I only had to fix two pipes since once there is one crack, it takes most of the pressure away so most other pipes won't crack.

Second, you'll have to replace the damaged sheetrock (damage from the water and from cutting it to get access to the pipes. That won't be too costly, like Mojoed said.

Had the water supply been on and there was a continual leak for months, then you'd have major mold/mildew problems (and I would avoid that house like the plague). But since this was mostly a one time leak event, I doubt you'll have to worry. All homes have mold/mildew. Don't let a one time leak scare you too much (assuming the pipes are properly repaired). If a one-time leak was a bad problem ALL houses would have to be distroyed permanently.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

I think this is what happened:
1) Water was shut off.
2) House was not winterized.
3) Pipes cracked, but since there was no water supply, there was virtually no leak. Thus, there was virtually no chance for mold/mildew (especially in the winter).
4) When water was turned on, there was a sudden leak, but that probably was discovered quickly and turned off.

If that is all correct, then it isn't too bad. This happened when my wife bought a house as we were dating. I fixed it myself.

You still have two problems. First, you'll have to fix all broken pipes. It took a day of my time and a few holes in the wall, but it wasn't too bad. I only had to fix two pipes since once there is one crack, it takes most of the pressure away so most other pipes won't crack.

Second, you'll have to replace the damaged sheetrock (damage from the water and from cutting it to get access to the pipes. That won't be too costly, like Mojoed said.

Had the water supply been on and there was a continual leak for months, then you'd have major mold/mildew problems (and I would avoid that house like the plague). But since this was mostly a one time leak event, I doubt you'll have to worry. All homes have mold/mildew. Don't let a one time leak scare you too much (assuming the pipes are properly repaired). If a one-time leak was a bad problem ALL houses would have to be distroyed permanently.

#3 doesn't make sense, empty pipes don't crack, if the water was off the pipes wouldn't have burst.

There is likely much more water damage than is easily visable

 

[Analog]

#3 doesn't make sense, empty pipes don't crack, if the water was off the pipes wouldn't have burst.

There is likely much more water damage than is easily visable

when the water is shut off, the pipes aren't empty. There's no pressure, just pipes full of water.

 

[Kristi2k]

We don't know the full story behind the house, other then the owner stopped making the payments, the bank took the house from them during the winter and the house sat un-winterized, bank had realty company list the house last summer, had it winterized (just incase) Obviously there was still some water in the copper pipes as when the pressure test took place it blew the water out of the break.

I can only assume that the pipes broke last winter, some water leaked at that time.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

It sounds like a classic case of frozen pipes. The sheetrock and any insulation will need to be replaced. Mold and mildew can grow in a wall cavity overnight in the right conditions. You will need to investigate further to know the extent. Find a licensed and qualified home inspector to do a thorough inspection, or contact a restoration contractor in your area that specializes in fire/water damage restoration for an inspection and estimate.

This is not something to take lightly. The growth of mold in walls can lead to illness and many respiratory problems.

 

[bruceb]

As said, get a good home inspector. Also a mold test is a good idea and you may not get a mortgage without one. After you fix the broken pipes, it is a good idea to insulate the pipes and also put insulation in the areas where the pipes run to help protect them. It sounds like the builder did a poor job of routing and insulating them when installing the pipes. They should not freeze easily (unless the home is in a very cold climate, then insulation is even more important)

 

[Kristi2k]

Water was left in the heating pipes over winter in Maine, last winter we had weather that got to -27F so I doubt it was an insulation problem as the house was not heated/lived in. Just want to clarify that.

 

[bctbct]

Remove the rock from the ceiling in the room. Then you will be inspect the areas at the walls to see if there is any indication water made it to the walls.

Hard to patch the ceiling in the middle of the room anyway.