Four Common Causes Of Water Damage In Your Home

Water damage occurs when water seeps into your belongings and starts destroying them. As a result, you might be looking at costly home repairs in the house. It can cause mold to grow on your walls resulting in many health issues such as skin allergies, breathing problems, runny nose, etc. So, water that is considered a sign of life often becomes the cause of destruction too. Clogged water in the house can lead to costly structural damages in the form of cracks in the walls and water dribbling into them. These cracks can immensely impact the structural integrity of your house too. Moreover, it can warp wood and soak drywalls, requiring you to replace them immediately.

Of course, no one would want to see their belongings or home getting ruined. Overall, water damage is not just a burden on your pocket; it can also tire you emotionally. But unfortunately, in many cases, the problem of water is aggravated because of the delay and lethargy of homeowners. They often ignore smaller issues like apparent leaks in the pipes or a dripping faucet in the bathroom for so long that it transforms into a problem of water damage. Therefore taking swift action should be paramount to people when they locate a leak or probable cause of water damage in their home. Often causes of water damage are very obvious and happen right in front of your eyes. You just need to observe them and promptly take the help of problem solvers such as the Water Damage Advisor to locate and mitigate the issue as soon as possible. Such companies deal with domestic hazards through years of experience and high-efficiency technology.

But before you call a professional, you must know what causes water damage in the house.

1. Torrential Rains & Extreme Weather

While no one is exempt from water hazards, people who live in areas experiencing heavy rainfall are more at the brink of experiencing water damage. Seasonal floods resulting from rains are widespread in many parts of the world. Water inundates the houses and wreaks havoc on property and belongings. Even when you are not living in a flood-prone area, rainwater accompanying strong winds falls on your windows and stays clogged on the roof. This may trickle down to the lower parts of the house with time.

2. Damaged Pipes In The House

Another reason for water damage is ruptured pipes over the home’s exterior or those taking water to other areas. The leaking pipes are a slow poison for a property as they can accumulate a lot of water in one place over time. Moreover, plumbing systems in older homes are more susceptible to blockages.

Damaged pipes become even scarier inside the walls since you can’t see the leak. The dripping water is directly going into the walls or the foundation of your house. You only get to know the problem when there are water stains on the walls, a proliferation of mold and mildew, cracks in the ceiling or the nearby area. Once you see such problems, call your plumber to check for hidden or visible leaks in the water lines going around your house.

3. Electrical Appliance

Electrical appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines use a lot of water. They are directly connected to the water supply line. Therefore, any malfunction can also lead to water damage, which you might ignore for a while. This usually happens when their pipes get rusted over time or their hoses rupture. Other common issues include broken doors, worn gaskets, a buildup in the appliance due to constant use, and clogged drains.

Water dripping from these appliances can create puddles of water around the area, for instance, in your kitchen. Moreover, it can damage the tiles and the floor, damage the electrical wiring system, and even the paint on the wall. A periodic inspection of the appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers can help you locate the issue before it changes into something severe.

4. Clogged Gutters & Drains

Gutters in your house take dirty water away from your home. Therefore, there should be no blockages to impede water flow. If the floor of these gutters is broken or cracked, you also risk leading black water towards the house’s foundations.

The drains that are more prone to getting blocked are those in your bathroom and kitchen because grease, hair, and other substances block the water flow. Clogged drains can create problems in other areas too. For instance, a clogged drain in the kitchen or toilet can back up into the sink, creating a dirty sight and leading to health problems. To mitigate this issue, you need to periodically clean the gutters and drains in your house to make sure water runs through them quickly.

Conclusion

Water damage can occur in the house due to many different reasons, including clogged pipes and drains, faulty plumbing, or flash floods. However, the issue is costly to address in any case and often leads to health issues. You can contain the problem by taking prompt action and calling on credible damage control services to look for mold growth, water penetration into the foundations and walls, and much more.