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How to Determine Water Damage in Your Home

The most typical water damage indicators are dark spots, water stains, and peeled paint. However, until there is a significant amount of water present, it is easy to overlook the early signs of water damage. Finding water damage in your home might be challenging, but this guide will assist you through the step-by-step process.

What are the signs of water damage?

Most of us believe that we can identify water damage indicators in our homes. However, water damage is not always noticeable. Water can cause severe damage to our homes and surfaces. This could result in significant structural damage and lead to the growth of mold, endangering the health of the home’s residents, and usually requires the help of professional water damage restoration experts.

Water Stains

Dark spots or water stains on the ceilings, walls, carpets, and inside the cupboards are all signs of water leakage. Dark spots usually indicate that the damage is recent, but yellowish, brown, or white, chalky stains usually mean older damage. These stains first show up in areas with several pipelines and water supply lines like basements, bathrooms, or utility rooms. It’s essential to contact professional restoration companies if your home has suffered from water damage.

Damaged Walls

If your home’s walls start to peel, crack, or swell, that’s a strong sign of water damage. It’s common for walls and ceilings to deform when water is trapped. A swollen ceiling and peeling wallpaper are two of the first indications of water trapped in a ceiling. After prolonged exposure to water, certain materials, such as drywall, acquire a chalky texture. Identifying the leak’s location can help you point the professionals in the right direction of damaged walls.

Damp or Musty Smells

Damp or musty odors are other signs of water damage. The smell is often similar to wet newspaper or cardboard and is usually the strongest around the area where the water damage happened. A damp or musty smell could also indicate mildew and mold are growing within your home. If mold is already growing behind your walls, it’s necessary to contact a professional water restoration company. Otherwise, you and your family members could start breathing in mold spores.

Higher Water Bills

If you notice a significant increase in your monthly water bill compared to the previous month, there may be a leak in your house. Start with the areas that consume the most water, like your water heater, toilets, main water system lines, and exterior hoses, and work your way up. You’ll likely uncover the leak quickly. 

Have a specialist team evaluate your property for possible water damage if you don’t detect a leak. If you need more informations concerning water damage restoration services, you can contact a reputable company and see how you can protect yourself from excessive costs.

Ultimately

Taking care of water damage as early as possible is the most important thing you can do. Even though it is reasonable to be concerned about the cost of repairs, delaying the cleaning will increase your expenses. Start fixing the damage right away, whether you are doing it yourself or working with a water damage restoration expert.