I need help please! Wall in kitchen

Hey everyone,

A couple a weeks ago I started to see water marks on our wall in the kitchen and hallway.... There was also mold growing in the hallway and in the kitchen on the bottom of the walls.... Well we had two plumbing guys come out and they both said it was caused from our dishwasher.... We did find out our dishwasher was leaking very little at a connection point.... The plumbing guy also found cranks in our tiles and said that the water was going through there into the walls.... I could understand this and the house insurance is paying for the damage( live in an apartment building).... The thing that bothers me is that our water in the kitchen has been turned off now for a little over two weeks and the water in the walls in still rising.... It rose maybe two inches in about a week on maybe about 50% of the lower walls....

The company that came said that the wall in made of cast or plaster (gips in German) and that soaks up water.... If it is still soaking up water then how since the water is cut off in the kitchen? I personally do not think that all that water damage is from the dishwasher and I am thinking that maybe there is a leak somewhere else. Last thing, they checked the bathroom and the separate shower in the bathroom and they found a leaking under the shower but they said that wouldnt cause the damage is the kitchen.... They are seperated by a wall....

They also said that we were not allowed to hook our kitchen back up (I dont understand since it was apparently the dishwasher that caused all the damage), which makes me concern that there is actually a leak....

Sorry for the long post but I am going crazy and its complete BS about hpw everyone is blaming us, but I highly doubt it? If you want some pics just ask and I will send a link....

Thanks,
PosingOwl

Pics always help see what exactly is the problem. They are easy to attach. Scroll down from the reply box to "Manage Attachments" then click on "Browse" then "Upload" easy as that.

Why can't you reconnect your kitchen? After the leak is fixed, water USUALLY starts to dry out not expand in area. What is above your apartment, roof or another apartment?

Oh, and to House Repair Talk.

Kitchen pictures by PosingOwl - Photobucket

I dont have the pics on my laptop they are here though on photobucket....

They said that they have to bring in blowers to dry the walls, and that can take up to 6 weeks.... Besides that nothing has been done and the water is still rising (I made marks on the walls to see the progression of the water) There is water marks in the apartment below us in her kitchen but it is on the ceiling and not bad.... Nothing is fixed so I am doing dishes in the bath and using a plug in over in our bedroom....

There is an apartment above us but there is no damage....

I hope the link works!

I posted a reply with pics but it said something about having a moderator approve it first....

is it possible your on the first floor and the water is the moisture wicking thru from the water table outside ? I have this in my basement and a dehumidifier cleared it up beautifully..

The photos would indicate there is a far more significant source of water, inside the wall(s). It appears to be either a leaking pipe or pipe fitting inside the wall, or possibly a major shower pan leak from the apartment above yours. If you could find someone with a thermographic imaging camera, it could be used to pinpoint the moisture source within the wall.

During a home inspection I did in Colorado a few years ago, there were similar stains and evidence of mold growing on the utility room walls. When I accessed the crawl space underneath that room, water was heavily dripping (and had been for years) from the room's rear wall location, causing framing and flooring members to actually rot and disintegrate.

I think my friend has one, wife said that the plumber used one but I never saw it.... With a plaster wall (cast) will water still be absorbed (spread) after the water has been turned off for 2 1/2 weeks?

@johnny

I unfortunately live on the 2nd floor....

Yeah - you're on the 2nd floor? People above you could easily be the problem.

I'm sorry you have to wait for management and maintenance to eventually get around to it - as a home owner who's hot on repairs I'd crack open that wall and figure it out asap.

Mold starts to grow if the walls been wet for 48 hours, it should be opened.