How To Identify Water Damage In Your Home

As all homeowners know, having your own house is a huge responsibility. Besides paying for the mortgage and the utility bills, the house’s upkeep is very important and can cost money over time. However, water damage is one of the most common and most dangerous problems. There are a few signs which you can use to tell if your home is facing some water issues, and if you don’t address this immediately, you could be left with some serious structural damage. Since water damage can be dangerous, you should know how to identify and deal with this potential issue.

Look for Discoloration

One of the biggest signs of water damage is discoloration. If any surface in your home has recently been in contact with water for a prolonged time, there will be discoloration, and the paint or the color will appear faded. If there’s standing water on the floor above you, the ceiling of the area you’re in will be discolored. However, most people only notice this when the discoloration is very obvious, by which time the water damage will have already damaged your home significantly. Look for faint signs throughout your house, especially near appliances, pipes, also do not forget to get the air quality testing as it may be the reason of mold.

Inspect Your Floors Closely

Water damage can often be silent, but checking your floor may show you some signs if there have been any seepage issues. Standing water tends to collect in small spaces and seeps down into the floor of your home. Over time, it will sink even further, getting into the tiny gaps between your floorboards or tiles. Your floor will swell up and become uneven due to the added volume, and the flooring will get buckled or warped. If you have tiles installed, they’ll appear uneven and will eventually become loose because of the uneven underlying surface. If you’ve noticed any of these issues, you may have water damage that must be addressed immediately.

Check for Mold

Mold is an issue you’re likely to face if there’s loose water in your home. Water turns things damp if it’s not dried off in time, and mold and fungi love to grow on damp surfaces. One of the main complications in homes with water damage is the amount and speed with which mold spreads. This mold gets in all home surfaces, including the foundation, causing immense structural damage if not addressed. The key to preventing this is to notice signs of mold as soon as possible, like black or green patches on normally damp surfaces, like in bathrooms and basements.

Inspect Your Roof

Inspecting your roof is another vital thing to do both to check for signs of water damage and to prevent it in the first place. Your roof is outfitted with several layers of roof shingles, drains, vents, and strong adhesive, which combine to form a waterproof layer, preventing water from leaking. This layer can weaken or even crack with time due to the environment or heat from the sun. If this happens, you’ll notice cracked or warped shingles on your roof. Since your waterproof layer has been breached, water will continue seeping into your home.

Look for Sources

If you’ve noticed any of the above signs of water damage in your home, you have some cause to be concerned. Even if you haven’t, it may still be a good idea to look around for the source of a potential water leak. The most common sources are burst pipes, faulty plumbing, and malfunctioning appliances. Check your bathroom and kitchen for any of these signs, especially if you haven’t had repairs or renovations in a while. If you do find a leak and it’s significant, there’s no need to worry. There are tons of contractors all over America that specialize in this work. Flood damage restoration in Denver, in particular, has great rates.

Conclusion

Water damage is one of the biggest problems you can face as a homeowner, as it can severely weaken the integrity of your house and leave you with a problem that costs thousands of dollars to fix. Insulating yourself from this risk is key, and knowing how to identify water damage is even more important. If you use some of the information listed in this article and keep a vigilant eye, you could save thousands in expenses and hours of your time.

Also, Read – 5 Home Renovations You Probably Need Right Now