I've done some drywall repair for folks who have had similar damage (but still I wouldn't say I was a pro). Anyway, you'd probably need more holes than every 12", if that's the way you want to go. Heat is very helpful, even lamps aimed at the walls.

As for my non-professional opinion on mold.....as long as it dries out fully through your efforts, I wouldn't worry about mold. That's provided it gets fully dry...and it would take a few days at least to get to that point in the wall. BTW, if your efforts fail, your nose will let you know later on, and that would be the time to replace the bottom portion of the walls.

Just my two cents. Good luck. Keep the air circulating down there and the dehumidifiers running. You'll probably be fine.

I's also be inclined to cut out the bottom edge of the wall in one or two areas (a bit lower than the top edge of the molding when it's replaced). Take a look at the back of the piece that's removed to see how high the water got into it, and also feel how high the moisture got into the insulation.

BTW, did you discover why the back-up and alarm failed? Did a float get hung up somehow, or was there a power failure? What kind of alarm do you have?

Homebound, thanks for the feedback. I cut holes along the one wall every 10 inches just below where the baseboard would cover them. The drywall is damp (not soaked, but definitely damp)but the insulation thus far is dry (thank god). Going to continue along the other walls and get some more heat and fans on them.

There was a "Watchdog" back-up to the main system. The thing that really irks the $(*&%(&! out of me is that we DID NOT lose power. The main unit must have failed and the friggin Watchdog never alarmed (not even sure if it engaged or not). Our house is 10 years old and it was already installed when we bought the place 10 years ago so I have no re-course with them.

The seepage was a result of the drain tiles filling and not being emptied because the sump wasn't doing it's job. (wasn't cascading down the walls or anything). We had about 12 inches of snow that melted overnight with 50 degree weather and then rain on top of it. Annoyed at myself for not recognizing that the sump wasn't going, though because the rain started after the massive melt off I just never thought about it.

I have back-up insurance and will call the agent tomorrow. I'd rather bounce a few things off him than go the "800#" route so that he can coach me on what to say, etc. before having anything logged. I took pictures of the mess so they can review them.

Just grateful at this point that it doesnt appear that I'll need to cut the lower portion of the walls completely out.

The watchdog is lit up like a Christmas tree right now. Not sure what the deal is. I replaced the main sump and will get a replacement back-up next week. I tried taking the watchdog piggy back off the main unit and plugging it directly into the outlet and still no luck.

So much for "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I thought about replacing the units this fall at the 10 year mark and never pulled the trigger.

Since you mentioned the 12" of snow, then the melt, there could have been another problem altogether (which I also encountered firsthand). Snowmelt sometimes has no place to runoff, building up in window wells, eventually seeping in the bottom of the window itself. I don't know your layout, but it's definitely a possibility.

Reading your last post again, that precise scenario (heavy snow on ground + warming + rain) is precisely what let our window wells to fill and water enter the house. I witnessed it "live" and was frantically shoveling an exit "channel" for water to run sideways out of the window wells as best as possible. Proper grading can help (not flat), as well as shoveling a path for runoff for these unusual weather fluctuations. A nearby obstructed downspout can wreak havoc, so those need a clear, open path as well.

Just curious, I assume you had poured concrete foundation walls with Pink foam board affixed then framed and insulated and finally added a layer of plastic before the drywall?

I ask because many times here I see posts saying NOT to use plastic...sounds like it save you....?

You may also want to get a water activated back up alarm as well. Also, I'm not sure if you've already removed the 18" of drywall, but you probably didn't have to do that, depending on the amount of water saturation. You could just cut up about 6" - 8" and put industrial dryers every 8' at an angle, facing the wall (to create a circular drying motion in the room)and leave them running 24 hrs/day for at least 3 days. You can also purchase a moisture meter that can detect whether there is moisture still in the walls (in areas covered by drywall). Usually the insulation will dry out fine. Good luck!

I forgot to mention that if you only remove 6" of drywall, it may be more cost effective to replace it with 7 or 8" baseboard. Also, if this happens again (knocking on wood that it doesn't as I know this is a pain!!), you just have to pop off the baseboard to dry the affected area.

I assume you had poured concrete foundation walls with Pink foam board affixed then framed and insulated and finally added a layer of plastic before the drywall?

I ask because many times here I see posts saying NOT to use plastic...sounds like it save you....?

I wouldn't assume that at all. Ten years ago, the "standard" would have been building paper against the foundation, then fg, then a vapour barrier. It's a recipe for problems down the road, especially if mechanical dehumidification is not used. But no point in touching it until symptoms arise--visible mould growth, odour etc.

On the current problem. Let the walls dry out and you should be fine.

For the first time in a couple of years, our sump pump came on during a thaw after four snowstorms in a row, and at first I was mystified as to what the noise was!