Wet drywall, baseboards or insulation. The wall cavity is the question.
Drywall wicks water up from the floor and insulation holds it against the framing; the EPA's 24 to 48 hour window is the deadline for drying without mold.
What is probably happening
- Water got in at floor level and traveled up the paper face of the drywall. The stain line is usually lower than the actual wet line.
- If there is insulation in the wall, it is wet too, and it does not dry in place.
- Swollen baseboard, bubbling paint and a soft spot when you press are the signs.
Do this in the next five minutes
- Pull the baseboard on the wet wall. It gives the drywall edge air and shows you how far up it is wet.
- Run a fan along the wall and a dehumidifier in the room.
- Move furniture a foot away from the wall.
- Look at the other side of the wall. It is often wetter there.
- Photograph the stain line and the baseboard before removal.
- Call restoration today for a moisture reading. Ask if the wall needs a flood cut.
Do not
- Do not paint over it. It seals the moisture in.
- Do not cut into a wall near outlets with the circuit live.
- Do not accept a wall closed up on a surface reading alone. Ask for the cavity to be metered or opened.
Who to call
A water damage restoration company
Metering the cavity, deciding whether to cut the drywall two feet up, and drying the framing is restoration work. The drywall patch afterwards is a separate small job.
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What it should cost
$300 to $850
Water-damaged drywall repair range. Drying is on top (typical restoration $1,383 to $6,369).
Source: Angi, water damage restoration cost, updated September 2026. View source
National published range, not a quote for your job. The full cost table for this trade is on the water damage page.
Ask this contractor, on the phone, before anyone comes out
Tap each one as you ask it.
- Will you meter inside the cavity, or only the surface?
- Do you plan a flood cut, and how high? What decides that?
- Is there insulation in this wall, and what happens to it?
- Will you leave a daily moisture log tied to the scope?
End the call if
- A quote to replace all the drywall in the room before any reading.
- A crew that closes the wall the same day it opened it.
- A large deposit before equipment is set.