Is the wall behind your refrigerator water damaged? This article demonstrates how to repair water damaged wall behind refrigerator.
When water damage meets the drywall that makes up your ceilings, it can knock down your wallboard enough that it falls apart, which can cause tremendous stress to homeowners. Nevertheless, you can repair walls with water damage as long as you know the practices you need to consider and the tools you need to get started.
Common Signs Of Water Damage In Your Walls
Many homeowners don’t realize the early signs of water damage, which prevents them from addressing the problem as soon as possible. Below are some early signs of water damage that homeowners must know.
Visible wet spots
One of the alarming signs of water damage is visible wet spots on the walls of your home. Dark spots indicate that there has been recent water damage to the walls.
Cracking walls
Many homes have drywall or plaster on their walls. Once the building materials begin to crack, you may need to consult with a professional to identify if water damage caused the crack.
Streaks of color on the walls
Brown, yellow, or white spots on the walls signifies older water damage. Please don’t be too complacent once you have already solved this issue since the streak problem tends to repeat itself every time there’s intense rainfall.
Bubbling paint
Bubbling paint is a sign of potential water damage. It occurs when moisture seeps through the drywall and moistens the paint on the wall.
The paint may stretch to contain the water before popping out. If you see bubbles from your paint, remember not to pop them.
Higher water bills
If your water bills are unusually higher, it may indicate a water leak, causing water damage to your walls. Leaks happen for several reasons, like a broken pipe or slow drips at pipe junctions.
Presence of molds
Molds can be harmful to anyone’s health. It begins as brown or black spots on your walls, and since molds can be dangerous, it’s better to call a professional from a water damage restoration team.
What To Check When Water Is Leaking Behind A Refrigerator?
Do you have water leaking behind your refrigerator? Multiple parts in your refrigerator could be causing the leak.
You first need to check if the leak is coming from the refrigerator or the water valve. Here are some parts of the fridge you should inspect to identify what may be causing the water leak from your refrigerator.
1. Refrigerator water supply line
It’s possible that the water supply line behind the refrigerator is damaged, slightly loose, or was pulled out from the fridge. Check if the refrigerator water line has holes or rips.
Ensure that the water line has not been pulled out. If you see it’s damaged, replace it, but re-secure it if the line is loose.
2. Water valve
The water valve responsible for supplying water to the refrigerator could be clogged, loose, or damaged. Examine the water valve and replace it if you need to.
Always remember to shut the water off before replacing the water valve on the wall behind the refrigerator, and carefully follow the instructions on replacing a water valve.
3. Defrost drain line
It’s possible that the defrost drain line is frozen or is clogged with debris. If this is the case, it can cause the water not to drain out, causing water to flow to the bottom of the fridge compartment or flow onto the condensation pan.
When water accumulates, water eventually drips onto the floor. You can learn how to repair a frozen defrost drain tube here.
How To Repair Water Damage In Walls
Water damage can be water seeping into your home through cracks in the foundation and broken pipes that can cause destructive problems to your home. Repairing water damage is no fun, so here is a step-by-step guide to repairing water damage in walls.
Step #1. Clear the area
You first need to move the refrigerator away from the water-damaged wall and clean the affected area using soap. Give the area enough time to dry.
When the area dries completely, remove all peeling, bubbling, and flaking paint using a scraper to smooth out the surface.
Step #2. Cover water damaged area
To cover the water-damaged area, you may use Zinsser’s Water-Based Peel-Stop. This water-based substance acts like glue permeating a porous surface, and it stops water from seeping.
Step #3. Apply filler
Apply Selleys Polyfiller to smooth out the surface and prepare it for painting as soon as the surface is solid and dry. You should have at least a full day of drying time.
Once the filler is dry, sand the surface until you make it smooth and ready to be painted on.
Step #4. Apply water-based primer
A water-based primer preps the wall’s surface for applying paint. Homeowners mostly use it for drywalls, and it’s also suitable for interior surfaces.
Step #5. Apply paint
After performing all the steps shown above, you can now paint your wall using your preferred color.
Conclusion
Now that you have an idea of how to repair water damaged wall behind refrigerator, you can now take necessary action in case your wall sustains water damage. Always be wary about the early signs of water damage to minimize any potential problem.
You may want to read these articles to identify why is fridge leaking water and how to clean fridge water dispenser.