As much as water gives life to people, water creeping into places where it shouldn’t be can be destructive and dangerous. Water damage can affect your property in many ways. It discolors walls, cracks the ceilings, causes mold growth, and weakens the structure. Being able to identify the main cause of home water damage issues will enable you to take action before things get worse or get out of control.
Avoid the need for water damage repair. Here’s the list of main sources and how to prevent damage to your home:
1. Severe Weather
Forces of nature such as thunderstorms, hurricanes, and snowstorms introduce excessive amounts of water.
When land can’t absorb any more water, it has nowhere to go. This is how flooding starts. If you live in a flood-prone area, you might install sump pumps, vents or raise your home using stilts. Sump pumps should be standing upright, and the vent hole should be clear.
Weatherproof your home and ensure that you have proper drainage. Aside from strong winds damaging your roof, an excessive amount of rainfall goes directly to your property. Your gutters and downspouts should always be cleared by regularly removing branches, leaves, and debris. Clogged gutters cause water to overflow to the lower side of the house and creep through your floors, ceilings, and walls. For snowy areas, insulate your attic to prevent the formation of ice dams.
2. Faulty Appliances
A malfunctioning sprinkler system, blocked refrigerator drain lines, leaks in the washing machine, dishwasher, and ice machines are some of the causes of flooding inside homes. Damaged connections make the water run down to your flooring. Prevent this by checking the hose connections frequently and replacing aged appliances as soon as possible.
3. Malfunctioning HVAC Units
Your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units may also be the cause of water damage inside your home if you’re not aware that it is already starting to malfunction. Have it checked regularly to prevent:
- Condensation inside your air condition unit
- Leaks from the water heater
- Clogged drains
- Drain pan overflowing
4. Plumbing Issues
The plumbing system plays an important role in the wastewater management of the house. However, when this is not checked and regularly maintained, it is often the cause of home water damage – blocked toilets, damaged and cracked pipes, clogged drains, and worse, sewage backups. What you can do is to keep an eye out for the red flags and the warning signs that there are plumbing issues that need addressing:
- Spike in your water bill
- Slow draining sink
- Low water pressure
- Peeling paints
- Brown spots in your ceiling or walls
- Gurgling toilet
- Unpleasant smell
- Growth of molds
- Rusty or aged pipes
- Soggy grass on one side
Include your plumbing system in your maintenance list. Insulate your pipe before winter begins, prevent grease buildup in your kitchen sink, and check for growing tree roots. Uncontrolled leaking from your plumbing system calls for water damage help from professionals.20
Know Who to Call
Prepping your house for the worst weather conditions is one thing. But if it fails and water goes inside your house due to adverse effects of weather, you would need water damage cleaning and repair as soon as possible. Getting help from a water damage mitigation company does not only save your property but also saves your sanity as well.
For a reliable water damage mitigation service in Denver, CO, Deep Water Emergency Services & Mitigation is here to serve you 24/7. Having been certified by IICRC and accredited by BBB, the members of our team are all skilled in handling repairs and mitigation caused by water damage. Just keep our numbers handy and call us whenever you need help!
