When water damage can be observed in your home, it’s often a sign that something is seriously wrong and it could be a plumbing problem. Sadly, many people ignore water damage and this is a bad move for a number of reasons. Water can cause a lot of damage in a very short period of time, and it’s expensive to fix. In this article, we will look at ten crucial reasons why you need to take water damage seriously.
Let’s start with the worst case scenario in terms of the extensive nature of the damage and the consequences. When water damage is not repaired and the source is not identified and fixed, it can cause extensive structural damage to your home. The presence of cracks in walls that may extend down into the foundations is worrying. Structural damage can be expensive to fix, and it only gets worse as time passes.
When you have water damage, it increases the moisture levels creating a feeling of dampness. This is an already unhealthy environment, but these are also ideal conditions for mold and mildew growth. These release toxic spores that significantly lower the indoor air quality (IAQ). The first people to notice a problem tend to be those with allergies and pre-existing breathing conditions. Mold spores can trigger allergic reactions and exacerbate skin conditions such as eczema. Attempting to clean the mold and mildew is pointless, it will always return until the underlying water damage is fixed. If you have dampness in your home, make it a priority to fix it earlier to prevent the adverse health effects for your family.
Water damage is often accompanied by foul and musty odors. The source of this is usually the mold and mildew growth as it begins to infiltrate further into your home. Some people attempt to cover this smell, but this is not an effective strategy. The only way to remove this odor is to deal with the water damage and the plumbing issues that caused them.
If you have water damage or flooding in your basement, it can lead to electrical damage. This can cause many other problems in your home and the repair bills to fix the damage could be considerable. There are also safety concerns wherever water and electrical systems come into close proximity and an early fix is recommended,
If you have a water leak somewhere in your home, you will be paying for water that you are not using. This may not seem like a big deal, but if you take a close look at your bills you may be surprised. Even a small leak can waste a large volume of water during the year, so it makes sense to fix the problem quickly to prevent this loss.
Most of us cannot tell the true cause of water damage simply by looking at the effects. There are a number of possible causes and some are major underlying issues that need to be fixed soon. If you have a water leak under your foundation slab or a leaking roof, your home will be at risk from structural damage. The longer the delay, the more severe the problem will become and bigger problems cost more to fix.
Most people notice dark stains on their walls and ceilings as the first indicators of water damage. These stains feel damp and cold to the touch and if you get the problem fixed quickly, the damage can be minimized. But, if the stains are ignored they tend to grow larger and the damage will be more extensive.
The home insurance you have should cover the costs of the water damage that occurs in your home. But, this is only true to a certain extent and the longer you ignore the problem, the less interested the insurance company will be. After all, if you have allowed the water damage to spread throughout your home and become more serious, it will cost more to repair. Insurance companies don’t like to hear about policyholders waiting to fix problems.
We’ve talked about the damage that you can observe with your own senses. But, there will be more water damage lurking in your home and this could be a greater source of concern. In fact, the damage that you can see could be the tip of an iceberg, and ignoring it is a bad move. At first glance, the water damage problem may seem trivial, but it’s usually an indicator that something has gone very wrong.
Following on from the points we have made on unseen damage, one of the worst aspects of water damage is how it can affect the foundations of your home. If you have a few minor cracks in the foundations, it’s not too concerning and this is pretty common in older homes. But, if you can see larger cracks in the foundation slab or reaching down to the slab, it’s a sure sign that something is wrong. Water can quickly eat at the foundations and flooding can cause a lot of damage in a short period of time. If you’re worried about foundation cracks, contact your local plumber and ask them to check for water leaks.
As you can see, water damage is something that should not be ignored, and taking quick action is important. When you are proactive, you can get the underlying problem identified and fixed quickly to prevent the damage from getting worse. Everyone likes to save money, but if you are avoiding essential repairs it will cost more in the medium to long term. In extreme circumstances, it can even compromise the structural integrity of your home.
If you’re concerned about water damage in your home or you want to arrange a health check for your plumbing system, contact your local certified plumber today.