Hey everyone! I recently had to cut out the lower section of drywall along an exterior wall in my house after discovering some moisture damage. The wall is made of cinder block and framed, with the house being built on a slab here in Florida. I found a lot of white powder and some black mold on the back side of the drywall, and while the bottom plate was damp, it's drying out now. I'm looking for recommendations on what type of drywall to install back in that area—should I go for regular, green board, purple board, or something else? Also, before I seal it up, are there any preventive measures I can take, like applying mold protection or termite treatments within the wall cavity?
1 Answer
The first step before you replace the drywall is to make sure you've tackled the source of the moisture. If you don't fix that, any new drywall will just suffer the same fate. Consider options like improving drainage or using a dehumidifier. It's not just about what type of board you use—failing to address the core issue means mold and wood rot will likely come back.
I had a leak from the AC recently, but I’m pretty sure it didn’t affect this room. A leak detector couldn’t find any plumbing issues. It might be an older problem or moisture coming from the slab. I changed the landscaping around the exterior walls and I'm planning to reseal the foundation. It's an older house from the late 70s located near the coast.