If Your Water is DIRTY, you MUST remove all water damage affected materials, including the baseboards and footings (complete this article). If you are affected by grey water damage or clean water damage you can save and reuse the baseboards. This article explains how to remove and discard the baseboards.

Be extremely cautious in removing the baseboards affected by water damage! It can be dangerous and people often get pricked by rusty tacks. Hiring a water damage company may be advantageous!

If Your Baseboards Do Have a Footing (Shoe):

Depending on the installation of your baseboard and footing, you may want to remove it before the taller section of the baseboard. I would skip past this section on footings and follow my directions on simply removing the baseboard. If it is too difficult to remove the baseboard with the footing still attached, simply come back to this section.

If you decided that you do wish to take the footing off, execute the following instructions: Take your smallest crow bar and wedge it between the baseboard and the footing. Firmly start to pry the footing away from the baseboard, working the footing off evenly. Inserting the crowbar and prying near nails will yield faster and more efficient results. Since you are disposing of the water damaged footing and baseboards anyway, don't be afraid to break or snap them if it makes removing easier.

Continue reading immediately following this sentence for instructions on removing the rest of the baseboard.

If Your Baseboards Do Not Have a Footing or You Have Removed the Footing (Shoe):

If Your Baseboard and Walls Are Painted: Take your box cutter, load a new blade, and cut along the edge that is formed between the baseboard and wall. This will prevent the paint from peeling as we remove the baseboard.

Take your smallest crow bar and wedge it between the wall and baseboard. Carefully, slowly, and firmly start to pry the baseboard away from the wall. You must work the baseboard off evenly as to avoid damage to the wall. Do not simply pry off one end and attempt to pull the rest of the baseboard off from that loose area.

If the baseboard is not fully popping off the wall, we are going to have to use my time and energy saving tip. Take the curved (hook) side of the crowbar and insert it under the baseboard. Get the edge of the hooked part of the crowbar to be directly under the bottom of the baseboard and apply pressure on the opposite end of the crowbar. This will lift the baseboard up and dislodge it from the wall.

While being careful for wood splinters and projectiles, break your baseboards and footings into pieces no longer than about 5 feet. Duct tape them together and haul them outside for your garbage service to take.

Move to "Disinfecting and Deodorizing the Sub flooring."