What should I do about wet insulation in my attic and walls?

Question

We had a lot of snow this winter. In spring when it melted we got water back up from under the eaves trough in our cottage. We now have water damage in our attic along the north and south walls in the kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom. The ceiling is sagging in one spot in the living room and on the bedroom walls in three areas the paint has rippled down to the floor. Also the rugs are stained badly. We were not out at the cottage for a couple of weeks and have been waiting for the insurance adjuster to come out and assess the damage.

My question is does all this wet insulation in attic and walls have to be removed and replaced, and what about the drywall, does it have to be cut out and redone? Also do they need to do something to combat the risk of mold in the walls and roof?

Answer 1

If your insurance adjuster is fair, He/she will cover the costs of removing all damaged materials and replace them. In fact, water soaked insulation and drywall cannot be dried out and salvaged. This will be a mold factory soon. The sooner you remove this stuff and expose the framing, the lesser the chance of growing mold on the framing. If the framing is already showing mold, it will have to be remediated and treated before proceeding. This should be done professionally. It is not an easy DIY project and if not done properly will cause more problems in the future.