Musty Garage

[Whippy]

Hi all. I just bought a house with a drywalled garage. It's a raised ranch, so the garage is tucked into the corner of the house. The existing drywall has never been painted. Looks like it's been there at least 10 years.

There's a long strip of what appears to be water damage directly above the garage door, and exactly the width of the door, which is kind of strange. At first we thought there'd been a leak (from a heat pipe in the bedroom above?), but there's no sign of that. Instead, we think maybe the garage door itself caused the wet strip... maybe rain spattered on it while open, hitting the ceiling.

Anyway, there's a distinct musty smell in the garage. We wonder whether, because the drywall has been unpainted/unsealed for so long, the sheetrock may have become damp over time and whether mold might be an issue. Any suggestions on what to do?

Thanks in advance, W

[Joseph Meehan]

I doubt if painting had anything to do with it. The garage has been damp for a long time. I suggest making sure the garage has some ventilation.

Paint if you like. I painted mine, it looks better.

As for the dark streak. is there a large spring right under it? Maybe a little oil or grease coming off the spring caused the stain.