Management

5 Signs of Water Damage Every Homeowner Should Pay Attention To

Water damage from leaks is harmful to the integrity of infrastructure like buildings and has other nasty outcomes.

Did you know that mold from a water leak can affect your family’s physical health? Do you want to learn how to keep your house free from leaks? If so, we can help.

In this guide, we’ll go over signs of water damage to look out for in your home. With these tips, you can stay on top of potential leaks.

Want to learn more? Keep reading.

Table of Contents

1. Inspect Your Ceilings, Walls, and Flooring

A change to your ceilings, walls, or flooring could reveal that you have water damage. You may not look at them with care every day or notice any slow changes.

Water in ceilings and walls could be visible. Yet, bubbling or peeling paint is the early warning sign.

Also, you’ll want to look for swollen or bloating walls. In a more severe case, the ceiling or wall might feel spongy.

Wet flooring is another structural element in a home that could go unnoticed. You might not notice a damp corner if you don’t use some rooms often.

Add this to your list of maintenance tasks. You don’t want to miss out on an early sign and discover peeling tile or a wet patch of carpeting.

The carpeting could feel spongy, soggy, or wet to the touch, and the grout in ceramic tile could crack or show signs of mold.

If they get wet, linoleum and vinyl tiling will begin to crack and peel, and laminate or wood floors will buckle or warp.

2. Mold or Visible Stains

Mold and stains are signs of water damage. Stains will develop if there is a consistent and slow leak, and mold will appear if the areas are damp often.

Water stains tend to be yellowish-brown. They expand irregularly from the primary source of the leak.

You might find this stain in bathrooms, laundry rooms, or basements where there’s a lot of water usage.

Water stains will form as the area repeatedly gets wet, dry, and wet again.

Mold is a type of airborne fungus that grows well in a persistent source of moisture. Wood, ceilings, and drywall are materials in your home that could hold mold if the area remains damp for a long time.

Mold can appear green, grey, blue, or black. Mold will often look fuzzy and grow in a thread-like structure. Some mold will grow in ceilings, walls, behind bathroom tiles, or beneath carpeting.

People tend to find mold in basements, kitchens, and bathrooms. Mold can pose a severe health risk, so make sure you deal with it right away.

3. Do You Smell a Strange Odor?

A musty smell in a room is a sign of water damage. The scent is like wet cardboard or newspaper. You will become aware of the strong smell where the water damage has occurred.

Depending on the season and temperature, you might notice the area feels humid or damp. If you do smell a musty odor, inspect the area. Look out for other signs of water damage, like stains or mold.

Old homes have a wide variety of smells. Yet a sudden increase in odor could be a sign. A newer home will tend to be odor-free, but you might have a leak or mold if you notice a new smell.

Have you ever noticed a musty smell after a winter thaw or rainfall? If so, you might have an issue with your foundation.

4. Increased Utility Bills

Did you notice there’s an increase in your sewage or water bill? If so, you might have water damage.

Please review your statement carefully and compare it to recent bills. Is there any reason for an increased use of water?

During the holidays, guests tend to visit, and water usage spikes. The same can happen during the summer months. A minor fluctuation tends to be expected, but a big spike could mean there’s an issue.

Go through your home and see if the toilet runs often. Are the faucets leaking? Look for a leak around washing machines and dishwashers. A pipe could leak into your walls if you can’t find a leak.

5. Older Plumbing Fixtures and Pipes

Almost all the pipes in a home aren’t visible, so they might get skipped in an inspection. Pipes tend to last a home’s lifetime, but valves, faucets, and connections can wear out over the years.

Furnaces, hot water tanks, and air conditioning units will also have shorter lifespans. Check your furnace, water heater, and air conditioning unit to ensure they work well.

Inspect your faucets, valves, and visible pipes to ensure they aren’t leaking. Most pipes run through your walls, so you could identify a problem by listening to them.

Try to listen for any sounds of dripping water at night when the noise in your household is lower.

Turn off your electrical appliances as well. The sound of dripping or moving water could be a sign that there’s a leak in your walls.

Check beneath toilets and sinks to ensure the drain pipes and water supply are in good condition. Check that cabinets aren’t wet and that there isn’t any mold. Repair damage right away.

Look at the caulk around your sinks and bathtub. Caulk is a quick fix that can prevent mold and water damage. If your caulk’s worn away, water could have gotten behind walls.

If you have signs of water damage, consider working with a professional. Call a water damage restoration service today.