How Do You Look for Water Damage in a House?

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spotting water damage in the home

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Many say home is where the heart is. You’ll want your home in tip-top condition, regardless of what you do with it. It’s a place to house your possessions, sleep, have guests, and other things. They’re a place to live your life alone or with your family. It’s a building you want to take care of and have it last a long time to give it to your children or rent it out for other people to enjoy a happy life. To do that, you must be aware of wear and damage signs.

A monthly checklist is a great way to prevent accidents in your home. This can help you avoid broken pipes, air ducts, weakened structures, and more. However, accidents can happen anytime, so watching for signs’s always a good idea. Occasional checking will alert you to signs that something may be amiss, including water damage.

Water damage can be a pretty frightening thing to see on a surface. It’s pretty easy to spot, but you must know what you want. There are plenty of things that can show water damage, like the big brown stains that appear on a ceiling or wall. However, some areas can be harder to see, and one might need to notice more subtle signs.

What Are the Signs of Water Damage?

There are plenty of ways to see that water damage is going on in your house. Water damage can get anywhere, from the ceiling to the floors. It can get on the walls or the insulation and structure boards. Water damage must be dealt with quickly. Otherwise, it can cause mold to grow rapidly or within hours. Mold can grow on any surface and cause a lot of health problems. Wood can be protected from water damage, but many other materials might not be so lucky.

If your water damage is from contaminated water, though, it’s a different story. Blackwater is considered to be water that is touched with contamination. That includes floodwaters, groundwater, and sewage water. The surfaces are unrecoverable if the water damage is from any of these sources. They must be taken out and discarded regardless of time.

Blotchy, Brown Spots

This is probably one of the most visible signs you can come across. When water damage leaks through, it darkens the area. If you’re asking, “why is water damage brown?”, it is because of the surfactant that helps bind paint to things. This chemical is brown, so it brings surfactant to the surface whenever water goes through it. Either way, this is the biggest sign of water damage. Moisture causes this surfactant to reactivate and pools where the water is. Even if you dry it, though, the stain will remain. Fortunately, you can correct this by painting over water-damage stains.

Surface Texture Changes

Changing surfaces is another sign of water damage. These changes can be warping, like sagging or bending. It can also show bubbles, cracking, or even expansion of the surfaces. This is a visible sign that water has gotten into or beneath the paint of your drywall or plaster. It causes the surfaces to bloat with water, making it soften or crack beneath its own weight.

Bad Odors

While not visual, smell can be just as big of a sign. Mold and mildew produce a unique smell when it grow. With the spores in the air, the odor smells dirty and musty. This can cause respiratory problems for many people, especially those sensitive to mold. It can lead to other health problems like sickness and fatigue.

Rust on Pipes or Other Metals

Usually, in basements, pipes that have rust are signs of water damage. When water runs over these metals, it oxidizes and creates the orange substance we call rust. Only water can cause this, so if you see any, there is a leak somewhere. It is also possible that humidity can coat these pipes and lead to more rust, which can be solved with a dehumidifier.

If any of these signs are seen, you shouldn’t wait to fix it. It doesn’t matter if it’s on the ceiling, walls, or flooring. The quicker you get to the water damage, the less likely you’ll grow mold. Mold is dangerous to anyone’s health, so don’t wait. The longer you wait, the worse it will be. Water damage is no joke, so get on it immediately.

The best and most accurate way to find water damage in your home is via a moisture meter like this one. It can measure moisture in masonry, drywall, and most common building materials. Suppose any surface is over 15% moisture. In that case, you likely already have serious issues that need to be addressed by a competent disaster restoration contractor who also does mold cleanup, so you don't have to deal with multiple companies to get the job done.

Conclusion

Your home is an important place. Even if you don’t always stay in it, it’s a place to house your possessions. A person can live alone or raise a family in one. It’s a very sturdy thing that can last for years but is also subject to damage. Water damage is a serious matter, so be aware of the signs that may pop up.

These signs can be anything from smelling mildew and mold to seeing brown spots. They can be apparent, but it might be too late if you smell mold. You may have to call a professional to help get rid of it. If you find it quickly, you can stop it from growing. Water damage is hard to deal with, but affected surfaces and areas can be replaced. If you're in Central Florida, we're the top Orlando water damage restoration company that has served our area for over 20 years.

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