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Should I Pop the Water Bubble in My Wall?

Should I Pop the Water Bubble in My Wall?

Whether you just lavished a room in your house with a new coat of paint, or you’ve lived with the same decorations on every wall since you moved in, you’re at the risk of bubbling. It doesn’t take much for paint to bubble up from the surface that it was applied to, and though the fix isn’t too hard, most people don’t take the time to do it.

If you’re serious about maintaining the condition of your house, don’t neglect the paint bubbles. They’re more obtrusive, aesthetically offensive, and potentially damaging than you might think. It might be a water bubble, which could be an indication of a serious leak or even mold.

To learn how to fix these bubbles in your wall, and prevent them from forming, first read about why they crop up in the first place.

Read more: Can you paint over water damage?

Why Is Your Paint Bubbling?

Bubbles under the paint on your walls can result from mild issues (such as bad paint application), or serious problems (having to do with water damage, leaks, and mold).

Below, find out the most common reasons for paint bubbles appearing:

You Applied the Paint Without Applying Primer First

In the realm of minor problems, the paint in your house might be bubbling because it was applied directly to wood or plaster without the buffer of a primer.

A primer should always be applied as raw wood or plaster will soak in both the pigments and the binder in paint, leaving you with a streaky, uneven, and further down the line, bubbly surface.

Primers are like the foundation for your redecoration job, without which the end result won’t be perfect.

Bucket Of Blue Paint

The Surface You Painted Was Dirty

Another reason that bubbles might have cropped up in your home, even if you applied a coat of primer, is that the base material that you put it onto, or the substrate, wasn’t clean.

Even if the substrate appears clean, paint will reach into the depths and crevasses and extract those impurities as it dries. As the impurities rise back to the surface, they congeal and form unpleasant collections of bubbles under the paint.

As with a lack of primer, you can simply remove the paint, clean the surface, reapply the primer and then decorate again.

There’s a Leak, Too Much Moisture, or Mold

Now we’re venturing into problematic territory. Often, bubbles underneath paintwork are actually water bubbles, which eventually expand outward. Water bubbles are more often than not indications that there is a leak nearby.

The news gets worse: where there’s excess moisture, mold will follow. If you begin to see even the smallest of water bubbles, don’t hesitate to call in the professionals and have your walls checked out. You’ll want to catch any potential mold situation before it has time to take root and spread.

High humidity, a burst pipe or other plumbing problems, or a slow leak can all be causes of water bubbles on walls. Make sure not to just remove the paint, buff and dry the affected area, and repaint; but identify where the moisture is coming from and plug the leak before redecorating.

Something Was Too Hot — Paint, Wall, or Primer

Moisture can be the cause of bubbles, but so can heat. An excess of heat can lead to bubbles later on, as the fluid itself expands and contracts unnaturally as it dries.

Read more: How to get rid of damp marks on walls

Is It Safe to Pop The Bubble In Your Wall?

Generally, it is not recommended to pop the bubble on your wall. Chances are, the bubble itself is slightly damp, and may have taken on a tissue-like texture, so you won’t even be able to pop it.

To get rid of bubbles safely, remove the paint in the affected area but no more of the surrounding paint, rub the area beneath with sandpaper to make sure it’s smooth, and apply joint compound to repair the wall.

Make sure the area gets cleaned, then use a peel-stop or sealer binder when repairing, sand the surface, and apply primer before you repaint.

Will Bubbles In Paint Go Away?

Most likely they won’t on their own.

Paint bubbles are often caused by underlying problems that also won’t change until you remedy them.

It’s up to you to locate the cause, repair the issue, and fix the bubbles yourself.

Read more: What causes bubbles in pipes?

Get in Touch

Home repair is no joke. In case your paint bubble repair job leads to the discovery of larger water damage or mold damage, don’t hesitate to call in the pros. Our team of professionals at All Dry USA is on hand 24/7 to help.

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