How to dry out a house from the inside out

Jena · #1 02/07/08, 02:23 PM

I just bought a house that has had a roof leak for months. It also has no ventilation in the attic.

There is a hole in the living room ceiling from the leak and I know I have to replace that (and the walls below it). The plaster is sagging, bubbled, etc.

The rest of the walls feel solid, but when it rains, there is water dripping from every interior door jamb, running down walls, etc simply from condensation due to the ventilation issues. These areas of the hosue look and feel fine, and when it's not raining, you'd never know how wet it had been.

First step is a new roof, with proper ventilation. Then I figure I need to pull out all the insulation in the attic....thankfully there's not much, but what is there is nasty from water and a mold paradise.

Will the plaster that looks and feels ok, really be ok? Will it dry out? Is there anything else I need to do?

Thanks
Jena

copperkid3 · #2 02/07/08, 03:12 PM

AFTER you get the roof repaired and proper ventilation in the attic/soffit areas, then I would seriously consider getting several dehumidifiers; one for each floor of the house, as well as the basement and keep them going 24/7 until there is a noticable decrease in the collected water from each. At this point you should be able to adequately determine what needs to be repaired/replaced regarding plaster, etc. and what will likely stay.

rambler · #3 02/07/08, 03:18 PM

Is it old plaster & lathe, or is it board with the paper coating?

My understanding is the paper coating takes the mold on, & you don't get rid of the mold, it just festers there forever, inside the board.

I do not know about plaster & lathe, I assume the wood will take on some as well?

For mold it seems they pull off everything down to the 2x wood, spray it down with a mold killer, & start over. Your lungs might require that for long-term, donno.

In addition to the insulation, you need a proper vapor barrier on the proper side of the insulation. This is the reason you are having problems - no vapor barrier. You need one.

That is a lot of moisture. You wouldn't be using an unvented heater or something? Your climates are nearly as cold as mine, while condensation is an issue, the air is cooked so dry with our heating needs it kinda re-absorbs the water 'here' as it comes back into the house, so there is only a thin layer of mold/ issue that is often un-noticed. It is rare for the moisture to be apperent inside the living quarters.

Are you sure it is not a roof leak problem?

In new & very tight construction, they also run into this moldy layer inside the walls that isn't readily noticed; but it does not sound like you have that type of concern here!

--->Paul

Silvercreek Farmer · #4 02/07/08, 03:38 PM

Is the house in IL or WY? The answer will help determine the best course of action. A respirator may be a good investment, I would rip out everything that is even slightly moldy. I don't think your dripping is due to condensation, but most likely more leaks. The sooner they get fixed the better, every bit of water is causing more damage. Other wise, tons of dry heat, dehumidifiers, fans on dry days, what ever you can do to get rid of water, it is your enemy!

The Paw · #5 02/07/08, 04:05 PM

You are correct in saying step #1 is a tight roof and ventilation. With the low humidity of winter air, that alone will dry up a lot.

I would also remove the insulation, but as others suggest, use a respirator to protect yourself. If there is mold on the studs/joists where the insulation lays, you can use bleach on that. After a thorough drying, (i.e. leaving it open to the air in some hot weather), the mold will probably not come back unless water re-enters. If it is a mold disaster, you may have to strip it to the studs and replace the plaster with sheetrock, but it would have to be pretty bad to make that worthwhile.

After it is dry, you can lay a vapour barrier on the attic floor, just run it on the bottom of the insulation cavity, up the joist, down the other side into the next cavity and so on. Then re-insulate on top of the vapour barrier, and you are good to go.

Jena · #6 02/07/08, 05:51 PM

I updated my location...Indiana. Sorry about that.

The house is vacant right now, so all that dripping was going on in an unheated house. It was also very foggy that day, so it was probably the worst it can get.

Judging from the amount of rust on light fixutres, vent covers, etc. they let this problem go on a long time. It's too cold for mold and I want to get it all done before it heats up and really starts growing! I will probably spray the attic down with mold killer even if I can't see it. Same for any walls I tear out, but I've always been told that if you stop the moisture, you stop the mold.

I'll start gathering up dehumidifiers. I have one, but I'll see how many I can borrow.

First bid on the roof is over $6000 for a 644 square foot house! That includes all new sheeting though and a bit of rafter repair.

Jena

WeaverRose · #7 02/07/08, 06:54 PM

Depending on where you are, see if there's an Amish crew you could get a bid from.
Some at Rockville, I'd recommend them as they did good work for us.

MELOC · #8 02/07/08, 07:26 PM

when you get the leak fixed, run a kerosene heater in the house. they dry things out real good, lol.

TNHermit · #9 02/07/08, 07:54 PM

If the place was mine I would gut the whole thing. If its been leaking that long hard telling what else has taken up residence. And you need to check the wiring anyway. Drywall has taken a big dump in price lately. Its back down to about 5-6 bucks a 4x8 sheet here. Then you can insulate the place and do it right.

6000.00 for the roof seems pretty steep. Cant be more that 10 sq up there. What all are you having done to it.

PyroDon · #10 02/07/08, 08:24 PM

I agree with TNH if thats the going rate for roofing up there I may have to relocate

High side going rate here is $275 a square with all materials
so yours at that price would only be around $1800
do they have to replace rafters ? or does the price include soffit and fascia ?

conscious · #11 02/07/08, 08:39 PM

Jena,

$6000? That seems outrageous. Ask them for a breakdown....$xx for shingling, $xx for rafter repair, etc. What kind of shingles are you getting any way? I would highly recommend making sure you get very high quality (Certain-teed is what I used) shingles. It's not worth it to skimp on shingles and have to re-roof after 10 years. That happens to a lot of people even though they get 25 year shingles.

**Ross** · #12 02/07/08, 09:48 PM

I agree gut it, I moved my house here and did that so every weird wiring job was found and replaced, every structural issue was redone to currnet standard and there's no mold anywhere. I sleep well....... isn't that what a home should help you do?

**Shrek** · #13 02/08/08, 12:01 AM

Service Master dehumidified my 1400 sq foot house in 4 days after all the floors flooded.

They charged my insurance company around $1200 and added $250 to my normal monthly electric use running the dehumidifiers.

**clovis** · #14 02/08/08, 12:22 AM

Jenna,

Is it really plaster and lath?

Or drywall?

Clove

Jena · #15 02/08/08, 06:53 AM

It is plaster and lath.

The roof estimate included $1561 for sheeting the whole thing, 30 year dimensional shingles (he didn't specify a brand), fixing some rafters around the chimney and fixing the ventilation issues. He is sending me a written bid that should spell it out. I have a couple other guys going out too.

I had a bigger roof, with three dormers, done last year. It was $5700 and that guy was high. We'll see what the other bids are.

Jena

**clovis** · #16 02/08/08, 09:32 AM

Here is my experience:

Water on plaster and lath doesn't really bother the plaster. Plaster is kinda like cement. In a way, it is waterproof.

The water problems I have seen usually affect the lath. If the lath gets wet a few times, it often is no big deal. Most wood lath is of hardwood species, and generally holds up well. As long as it can dry, it will be structurally fine.

What is usually the problem is that roof or plumbing leaks keep the lath wet for long periods of time. This will generally rot the wood lath away, causing the plaster to fail.

Jena, if your house is old enough, it might be balloon framed. You can tell if the house is balloon framed by getting into the attic. Crawl to the outside wall. If you can stick your arm down into the outside wall, it is balloon framed.

I would suggest placing a high power fan in the attic, letting it run as much as possible. This will help dry out the moisture in the walls and attic.

If you have lost plaster in places, it is easy to fix. Do a search here under 'plaster'. You could call me, and I can walk you thru repairing the plaster. Super easy to do.

My last suggestion is to get some tarps on the roof, ASAP.

Clove

Jena · #17 02/08/08, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clovis

Here is my experience:

Water on plaster and lath doesn't really bother the plaster. Plaster is kinda like cement. In a way, it is waterproof.

The water problems I have seen usually affect the lath. If the lath gets wet a few times, it often is no big deal. Most wood lath is of hardwood species, and generally holds up well. As long as it can dry, it will be structurally fine.

What is usually the problem is that roof or plumbing leaks keep the lath wet for long periods of time. This will generally rot the wood lath away, causing the plaster to fail.

Jena, if your house is old enough, it might be balloon framed. You can tell if the house is balloon framed by getting into the attic. Crawl to the outside wall. If you can stick your arm down into the outside wall, it is balloon framed.

I would suggest placing a high power fan in the attic, letting it run as much as possible. This will help dry out the moisture in the walls and attic.

If you have lost plaster in places, it is easy to fix. Do a search here under 'plaster'. You could call me, and I can walk you thru repairing the plaster. Super easy to do.

My last suggestion is to get some tarps on the roof, ASAP.

Clove

There are definitely some areas that need all the lath torn out. That is the area where the leak was at it's worst. The rest of it seems fine...plaster is not pulling away at all. Of course, it's still all damp so who knows what will happen later?

I can't tarp the roof until I close. I'm paying cash, but I'm buying from HUD which means they can't do anything the easy way. I don't know how long it will take, but the minute I close, I'll be ready to get started on that roof.

Jena

TNHermit · #18 02/08/08, 05:25 PM

trouble is when the house sets that long wet, moisture migrates behind places it shouldn't and raises earth later

Rocky Fields · #19 02/09/08, 04:27 PM

Hey.

Water on plaster/lathe will eventually crack, discolor, and make it sag...I repaired this kind of damage on an elderly neighbor's Victorian farmhouse.

It's gonna be a few months before winter breaks...maybe some rolled plastic and drip containers are in order until the work can be done. If you use drip containers, make sure you empty them periodically or they may fall into your lap;-)

RF

deb · #20 02/09/08, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jena

I'll start gathering up dehumidifiers. I have one, but I'll see how many I can borrow.
Jena

Does this house have a working heater? I ask because most dehumidifiers are designed to be used in heated buildings and if used in temps below 68* they will freeze up. I just read about a new line of dehumidifiers that work down to 53*, but I don't know how available they are.
-deb
in wi