Gutting the Inside

If you don't gut the inside of the house up above the level the water reached, mold will grow on the building materials and insulation. Much of the house had plaster and lath that had been covered by panelling. The panelling had been removed and the plaster had to be dealt with.

Much of the insulation was blown-in cellulose. It soaked up the water, then fell to the bottom of the wall cavities. A few areas had other kinds of insulation.

The walls were still quite wet since the insulation soaked up the water like a sponge and held it. It had to be scooped out by hand and this was a stinking job.

The staircase behind makes it difficult to remove the lath. The furnace is located in the closet beneath the steps and must be removed as well.

The bathroom toilet and shower had to be removed to gain access to the walls. Each room had some unique difficulties. A wall stud, on a non-load bearing wall, had to be removed in order to take the shower out. It had been glued together when assembling so it was easier to remove the stud than breaking the shower.