How To Detect Water Damage In A House

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When you suspect that your home has water damage, it can be difficult to know exactly what you need to do to thoroughly inspect the premises and make sure you don't miss anything. Water damage can hide in both some pretty obvious and some inconspicuous places.

Take a flashlight with you and be prepared to make a list of any signs of damage that you may find. Don't skip inspecting uncommon areas for water damage such as closets, either; you never know what you may find.

Swollen or Stained Drywall

If the drywall in your house is stained a yellowish color or appears to be swollen, there's a high probability that you have water damage. This is most common on ceilings where it's usually caused by roof leaks and upstairs bathroom leaks, while drywall closer to the floor is more likely to have been damaged due to flooding.

The House Smells Musty

If a house has a musty, moldy smell, odds are high there is water damage there somewhere. Mold cannot grow without humidity, so where there's mold, there's water damage.

Bad Roofing Repairs

If the roof appears badly maintained, such as multiple layers of roofing material, missing shingles (if applicable), or the roof appears “wavy”, you can bet there have been long-term water leaks that must be addressed. Bad roofing is almost always a sign of water-damaged property. But you must first learn the art of tracing unseen water problems within your home to keep problems at bay.

Sagging Flooring

If the flooring is creaky or feels weak anywhere in the house, you could be dealing with rot due to moisture. This is common to find in bathrooms and kitchens where water can get on the floor, such as around dishwashers, the bathtub, or under the kitchen sink. It doesn't take long for water damage from one end of a room to extend to the other, so what appears to be only a couple of feet of weak floor will quickly end up damaging the floor much further into the room.

 

 

Leaking Pipes Under Sinks

If the pipes under any sink in the house are moist or if the undercabinet area is damp, you have water damage.

Cracked Flooring Tiles Or Laminate

Cracked flooring tiles could indicate water damage because water can seep underneath the tile. What cracked the tile may have been something dropped on it, the foundation of the house settling, etc, but the cause of the broken tile isn't really relevant. If it hasn't been repaired, moisture has been allowed in.

Look For Obviously New Patch Repairs Or Paint

Has the ceiling obviously been repaired in a single area? Do some areas on the wall appear to have been freshly painted over? This may be an attempt by a home seller or landlord to hide water damage or mold from you.

Check The Hot Water Heater For Rust

If the water heater is rusty in any way, this could indicate that it's previously had a leak and there may be damage from that.

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