You removed the baseboard to refinish it, replace it, or access something behind it—and a strip of paint came off with it. Paint damage above baseboards is extremely common because the paint bonds to both the wall and the baseboard, and removing the baseboard pulls the paint off the wall. The result is a strip […]
A visible gap between your baseboard and the wall. The gap may run along the entire baseboard or appear in specific spots. Baseboard-wall gaps are common in Chicago homes and are caused by building settling, drywall shrinkage, poor original baseboard installation, or flooring expansion. Baseboard gaps are one of the most noticeable signs of aging […]
A visible gap where the wall meets the ceiling. The gap may be narrow (1/8 inch) or wide (1/2 inch or more), and it may run along the entire ceiling line or appear in specific locations. Gaps between walls and ceilings are common in Chicago homes and are caused by truss uplift, building settling, or […]
A crack running down the inside corner where two walls meet. Inside corner cracks are common in Chicago homes and are caused by building settling, seasonal movement, or poor original drywall taping. Unlike outside corners (which have metal corner beads), inside corners are reinforced only with drywall tape, making them more susceptible to cracking. Inside […]
Brown-orange stains running down your wall corner. The metal corner bead behind the drywall has rusted, and the rust is bleeding through the paint. Rusty corner beads are common in Chicago homes, especially in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and exterior walls where moisture accelerates the rusting process. Metal corner beads (galvanized steel or aluminum) are standard […]
The outside corner of your wall is dented, cracked, or bent. The metal or vinyl corner bead that protects the corner has been damaged by a vacuum cleaner, furniture, a child’s toy, or everyday wear and tear. Corner bead damage is one of the most common drywall repair problems in Chicago homes, especially in high-traffic […]
Small bumps on your wall or ceiling with a tiny crack around a screw head. Screw pops look similar to nail pops but involve drywall screws instead of nails. They happen when a screw loses its grip in the wood framing, allowing the drywall to shift and push the screw head up through the paper […]
Small bumps on your ceiling, each with a tiny crack radiating from the center. They look like someone pushed a nail up from below, creating a bump in the drywall paper. These are nail pops—one of the most common drywall problems in Chicago homes, especially on ceilings. Nail pops happen when the nail or screw […]
You notice dark vertical lines running down your walls, spaced about 16 inches apart. They look like the wall is dirty, but cleaning doesn’t help. These dark lines are called “ghosting” or “dirty face” walls, and they show the location of the wall studs behind the drywall. Ghosting is caused by thermal bridging, dust deposition, […]
A dark stain on the wall near your air conditioning vent. The stain appeared during the summer when the AC was running, and it gets worse each season. AC condensation stains are a common drywall problem in Chicago homes, caused by condensation forming on cold supply air ducts, dirty airflow creating moisture buildup, or insulation […]
The drywall under your window is discolored, soft, or peeling. Window condensation and leaks are common causes of drywall damage in Chicago homes, especially during winter when the temperature difference between inside and outside creates heavy condensation on cold window surfaces. The water runs down the window and soaks the sill and the drywall below […]
The drywall near your sump pump is soft, discolored, or crumbling. Sump pump areas are one of the most moisture-prone locations in a Chicago basement, and the drywall nearby takes a beating from water splash, humidity, condensation, and occasional pump leaks. The damage typically affects the wall within 3–6 feet of the sump pump pit. […]