Early Indicators of Water Damage in Your Home or Business | SERVPRO® of East Mecklenburg/Matthews

5/9/2022 (Permalink)

The cleanup and restoration begins with a phone call. Contact SERVPRO of East Mecklenburg/Matthews to get started.

The most obvious sign of water damage is the abrupt noise of flowing water, but the damage at that point is already extensive. Leading up to that explosion of water, leaks go undetected for days, weeks or months.

Minor leaks and water damage that go unattended slowly cause damage that compounds over time. Water damage can occur at any time and has the potential to cause irreversible, permanent damage to your home. In fact, household leaks can waste over 900 billion gallons of water annually in the United States alone.

Some areas are more at risk of suffering water damage than others, but it’s a good decision to inspect your home from time to time.

Early Warning Signs of Water Damage

Water damage shows itself through discoloration, the apparent odor and more depending on where it happens. Here are some of the things you should look for to determine if you have sustained water damage:

Accumulation

One major sign that water damage is present and could become a serious problem soon is the collection of water in an area. This often happens from the leaking of an appliance like dishwashers, faucets, toilets, water heaters and air conditioning units.

It’s not only caused by appliances, though. If water is pooling in an area and you aren’t able to determine the cause, it might mean that you have a leaky roof or problems with your piping systems.

Discoloration

Unaddressed water damage can cause your home to appear much dirtier than it realy is. Standing water will often cause stains, wall spots, moldy and ruined carpets/rugs, and rusty pipes or water heaters.

It’s common to see the affected areas turning yellow, brown or dark copper color. Depending on your paint and wallpaper, moisture may cause bubbling, cracking and peeling, forcing you to redo the whole room or home.

Texture

Floors and ceilings may show signs of discoloration, but the telltale sign of major damage is from witnessing a change in texture. As your floor/ceiling absorbs water and the deeper layers soak through, they may warp and become deformed beyond repair.

Dangerous texture indicators are warping, buckling, sagging and expansion. These problems are not only unappealing to look at, they are dangerous and are at serious risk of collapsing if left for an extended time.

Odor

The last major sign that water damage has developed in your home is the obvious smell of mold or mildew. Producing a musty odor from the absorption of water into your walls and floors.

Many home construction materials take a sponge-like effect where they will soak through and create a prime environment for mold to grow. Acting fast when you smell the distinct scent of mold can help you avoid high costs and an extreme level of restoration.

Mold isn’t just an unpleasant smell, it can tack on expensive costs to your already high restoration price. The average cost of mold remediation is over $2,300. However, mold left for an extended period of time can cost $5,000+ depending on the extent and where it’s located inside your home.

Regardless of the type of water damage sustained, SERVPRO has the tools and teams to help your home or business recover. Contact us ²⁴⁄₇ when you need a dependable team to help you recover.