When Do You Change or Get Drywall Repair? (Drywall Care Tips During Winter)

Drywall Repair During Winter

The walls and ceilings of your house should look polished from the floors up, as well as the floors themselves. Eventually, you’ll notice that some of those areas don’t look as fresh as they once did. Have a close look at your walls.

Damaged drywall is a common problem among homeowners. Whether you need drywall repair or a replacement, the work can be strenuous. It is important to note, however, that damage can lead to more severe issues, such as structural damage if it’s left unattended.

In some cases, the damage is more severe, but it’s not so bad that it needs to be replaced. A repair job will be required for holes larger than six inches. As it turns out, these repairs aren’t as difficult as they may appear. To replace the damaged part of the wall with a new one is the main purpose of a repair.

Are you looking for drywall repair/installation services in Chicago? Throughout the greater Chicago area, Delta City Painters has installed and repaired the drywall in countless homes.

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It shouldn’t be stressful or worrying to get drywall repairs or to complete other projects around your home. To make the whole experience of working with us as simple and easy as possible, we strive to provide you with the highest level of customer service. Check out our reviews to find out what others are saying.

Have any questions about Delta City Painters Services? Read our FAQ section.

How Can My Drywall Go Wrong?

While drywall has many advantages when it comes to construction, it also has some inherent weaknesses.

1. Water

Moisture is a concern for all the materials that are used in its construction. Plaster is, after all, a material that, if exposed to enough water, will eventually turn back into a paste. You may encounter water exposure as a result of a roof or plumbing leak, or as a result of a flood.

2. Mold

There is also the potential for mold growth in drywall and water. Mold can grow in the core of the panels, which is a moist environment where moisture can enter and feed on the top paper layers and organic materials that were added to the plaster during the manufacturing process.

3. Termites

Termites can be a threat to drywall, as they like to eat the paper layers – but not the plaster. Nevertheless, it is held together by paper, which is also used to paint the walls. In addition to the damage to the paper, there may be paint damage that needs to be repaired.

4. Cracks

Depending on how your drywall was installed, it might be more prone to cracking. Many reasons can lead to cracks, such as temperature fluctuations and house settlement. Furthermore, they tend to develop near doors, windows, ceilings, and corners-anywhere there is a seam.

Cracks will only get bigger, causing your house to weaken over time, costing you lots of money and time to fix. Don’t ignore the cracks since they will probably only get worse.

5. Holes

There is a good chance that a hole will form in your drywall, though the diameter of the hole will differ. Depending on the size, there can be as small as a nail and as large as a piece of furniture accidentally falls through.

In order to prevent these holes from growing, make sure you get them patched and repaired as soon as possible. It is also important to consider the size of the hole when making a repair.

6. Popping Nails

There are a couple of reasons why nails can pop through the drywall. Nails could be shifting because the house is settling or they may not be firmly attached to studs or joints.

Additionally, the wood used to construct the house may contain moisture, which can cause the studs to twist as they dry. Replace nails that pop from the wall with drywall screws if you experience popping nails

7. Tears

Removing wall items such as wallpaper, tiles, or mirrors can result in drywall coming off or being torn. Although this won’t cause structural damage, it becomes unattractive from an aesthetic perspective. To make your walls look brand new, sand and patch them.

What Is The Best Time To Patch Drywall?

Almost every modern home and building has drywall. Insulation and shelter can be affordably constructed with drywall. Delta City Painters also work well with drywall.

Although this material has its benefits, it is easy to damage it. Fortunately, repairs aren’t that hard if you know what you’re doing. It can be hard to know what to do when it is damaged.

Patching is the most common of the three options. In most cases, drywall damage consists of small indentations, abrasions, scrapes, and holes. Fixing these small errors is not too difficult. If you have small holes or scrapes, all you need is some spackle and a smoothing tool. Your wall will appear as good as new after a little interior painting.

Even doorknob-sized holes can be patched with a patch. You can find drywall patch kits at your local hardware store. Patches cover holes in drywall. Following the patching process, the joint compound is applied over the patched area and smoothed around the edges to blend with the wall, then the compound is allowed to dry. Alternatively, you or a painting service may choose to repaint the entire wall or a selected part of it.

The Best Time To Replace Drywall

So, when should it be replaced entirely? It might not be worthwhile (or even possible) to simply repair the drywall if the physical damage is large and severe. Generally, however, replacement is due to other types of damage, namely moisture.

Moisture can collect on drywall due to plumbing issues or poor insulation. Eventually, this moisture can become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria, slowly rotting away the material. Mold eventually weakens drywall to a dangerous degree. Mold will also make your house look unattractive. To maintain safety, if you let this go on too long, you will need to replace the drywall. Mold spots can be temporarily covered up by residential painting, but it won’t resolve the issue.

The majority of damage simply needs to be patched. You should still watch for water damage because it can turn into a costly and hazardous problem.

Drywall Maintenance Tips

The remarkable durability and affordability of drywall mean it’s a great and incredibly useful material. It can be tailored to suit any design aesthetic. Thus, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it has become one of America’s most popular construction materials. Still, it may need to be strengthened and repaired occasionally.

1. Damp Ceiling

The cause of damp/moisture-damaged ceilings can be as benign as a small amount of rainfall or as serious as a burst pipe. A professional will typically sand off the wet area, apply a stain-resistant primer, then conceal the drywall compound to avoid any further water damage. After the primer has dried, the drywall compound will be applied to seal off the wet area.

2. Popped Nails

Sometimes the ceiling joists and wall studs used in drywall can pop out of the wall. If the nails do pop, repair professionals usually have to remove the nails completely and replace them with two new screws, followed by several layers of joint compound and drywall compound.

3. Small Holes

The majority of small holes in can be easily repaired. To quickly fix the problem, you can install an adhesive-backed drywall maintenance plate. After the plate is painted, it will be covered by a professional drywaller.

4. Large Holes

Obviously, large holes are more difficult to repair than small ones, since the surrounding drywall must be cut out fully in order to repair them. Once the damaged one is removed, it will be attached to the new one with screws covered with joint compound and drywall tape, and then painted and sanded to make it match the rest of the wall.

When Do You Need To Hire A Professional For Drywall Repair?

The following types of damage should be repaired by a qualified contractor:

Wall has several holes, requiring drywall replacement by a contractor
Has already started to mold after being water-damaged
Cracks and damages the ceiling extensively

It may be necessary to re-paint the entire wall or ceiling and to have new sheets of drywall installed in your house in order to fix this level of damage. A professional should only handle this task because it requires special equipment and multiple workers. Furthermore, they are experts at matching paint, priming and re-painting, and matching textures.