Super Power
I am a member of the Fishers Rotary Club, and we have guest speakers in each week and also let a member speak about their own personal lives and Rotary experience. At the end of each talk, we get to ask questions, sometimes silly questions like “what is your favorite ice cream flavor?” I have added my own silly question, which is, “If you could have a super power, what would it be?”
As a painting and drywall contractor, there are plenty of days that I wish I had a super power. Mine would be X-Ray vision.
Water is Good, Water is Bad
One of the great contradictions of living on our wonderful planet is that of water. It is a life giving and life preserving element to all of the world’s inhabitants, but it can also be a harmful and devastating element. Floods, tsunamis and dangerous rain storms have the power to take lives.
Not insignificantly, water can be a terror to your home also. Those of you who have had the unfortunate experience of a flooded basement know how devastating that can be, and the insurance companies are not wild about you having suffered that experience. On a smaller, but no less maddening level is having water enter your home from above or outside. Roof leaks, ice dams, burst pipes and flooded toilets can wreak almost as much havoc on your domicile.
This is where my desire for X-Ray vision comes in. Often, when I am called in to look at the result of some sort of water intrusion, I can make a fairly good guess as to the nature of the repair’s origin and what I am likely to see when I open up a wall or ceiling. But sometimes things turn into more than what I would have guessed and I sure do wish I could see inside those areas without having to open them up.
As often as not, I am able to calm the fears of people who need these repairs done by simply asking a few questions. “How long has this been an issue, was it a flash of water that started and stopped quickly, or has this been a chronic issues for an extended period of time?”
Plastic in Walls behind Drywall
For many years and in various parts of the country, the idea to put plastic in walls as part of a protective measure to control moisture became a fairly common practice. The problem with this theory is that once a builder has an idea that seems reasonable in practice, that builder is usually nowhere to be found when problems start popping up in homes some years later. Further compounding the matter is local and state agencies jumping on board and making the practice part of building code. I for one, am thankful to have chosen the remodeling sector of the construction industry since I get to help our customers remedy the problem and to educate them on what I can do to make their home livable again.
The best illustration I can think of is to imagine putting a plate of food in the refrigerator covered with a piece of Saran Wrap. Now think of what you will find the next morning when you take that plate out, what do you see? Condensation on the underside of the Saran Wrap, right? That is exactly what happens in your walls when plastic is there.
As is illustrated in the photos featured herein, when water is trapped and never afforded the opportunity to dry out or wick away, mold will most assuredly begin to form.
Not the “M” Word……
Mold is perhaps one of the worst and last words you as a homeowner ever wants to hear. Well, there is good news and there is bad news. The bad news is that there are approximately 100,000 known species of mold. The good news is that the vast majority of them are pretty much harmless. There is not enough space on this blog to go into detail, but if you wish to know more, click on this link to learn more about mold. http://www.cleanwaterpartners.org/mold/types.html
Professionally Performed Drywall Repairs
The good news is that Cornerstone Painting and Drywall has over 20 years experience caring for the homes of people and businesses that have been stricken with those pesky water problems, and we will know exactly what to do when it comes to making those repairs look like there never was a problem to begin with. Call us at 317-459-4544, or book a free appointment right off of our website, www.cornerstone-pd.com or FaceBook page, https://www.facebook.com/CornerstonePaintingandDrywall/