Whether you rent or own your home, eventually you’re going to have to deal with water damage. Depending on how long the leak has been going on before you found it, this could mean extensive water damage repair in your home.

Water damage can mean weakened structures, toxic mould, and damage to wood furniture, upholstery, electronics, household appliances, and plumbing equipment.

Most homeowners dread the inevitable encounter with water damage, but it doesn’t have to be so intimidating. Water damage is dangerous and can be quite expensive, but if you find it early, take care of it quickly, and follow our helpful guide, your home can be clean, safe, and water damage free.

Read on the find out more!

Causes and Effects of Water Damage

Water damage may not seem like a big deal to the inexperienced homeowner, but it can have some serious negative effects on your home, and if you don’t clear out ALL of the damage at once, you could still be at risk of toxic mould formation. This can be an even more expensive problem to fix.

It is usually in your best interest to hire a professional water damage repair company so you can be sure that every last bit of water and mold is removed. They can determine what caused the damage and how best to proceed.

1. Bursting or Leaking Pipes

Eventually, the pipes and plumbing in your home will wear down over time and need to be replaced. Drains that get backed up can cause increased pressure. This causes them to burst.

Roots in your yard that grow into the sewer system can also cause unexpected damage

Outside factors can also cause unexpected damage to your pipes, such as roots in your yard that grow into the sewer system or ice formation due to cold temperatures.

As pipes get older, they eventually start to rust, which causes leaks that can burst if too much pressure is forced on them.

Another thing to look out for to prevent water damage is the state of your pipes. Occasionally tightening the pipes under your sink could save you thousands in water damage repair and mold removal.

2. Buildup in areas prone to collecting water

There are certain areas in a home that are more likely to collect water than others, and they often happen to be places that you may not generally check on a regular basis.

Your basement, attic, and crawl spaces all have a high chance of condensation, which can leader to larger water damage problems. And because of the dark, cool environment in these areas, it’s a breeding ground for mould and rotting.

3. Faulty or Malfunctioning Appliances

Central air conditioning, ventilation, and heating units can malfunction and cause leaks within the walls that can go unchecked for long periods of time. Appliances that are connected to your water lines such as dishwashers or washing machines have an even higher risk of malfunctioning and causing water damage.

4. Weather-related water damage

Your home doesn’t have to go through a flood or a hurricane to suffer from water damage. Periods of high rain or snow create a higher risk of water damage, especially if they continue for multiple days.

What to Do When You Need Water Damage Repair

Call a professional water damage repair company.

We all want to be the Jack-of-all-trades home repair wizard, but we can’t be experts on everything, and there’s no shame in hiring professional experts to make sure that your home is safe and healthy.

Shut off your pipes or hire a plumber to shut them off, so that the water damage does not continue to get worse and your plumbing is safe to work on.

Remove as much water as possible from the affected area. Use a mop or towels to remove as much water as possible, and put a fan in the area to evaporate any water that you can.

Standing water continues to seep into the wood which causes rot, and it can slip into cracks in concrete where mould or rust will form.

Turn off electrical circuit breakers for the affected area. The wiring in your house can be extremely hazardous and adding water into the mix only makes things more dangerous. Before you start working on the water damaged area, make sure all nearby electrical appliances are unplugged or removed.

Remove and floor coverings such as rugs or carpet squares and clean them separately. Not only does this make your job a little easier, but the state of your rug should be a relatively small concern when dealing with water damage in your home.

Put foil squares underneath wood furniture legs to prevent them from causing rust spots on your floor or carpet.

What NOT to Do When You Need Water Damage Repair

Don’t wait around to take care of the problem.

Water damage gets exponentially worse as you let it continue. Aside from weakening the structural integrity of your house and causing toxic mould, “gray water” runoff can leak into your pipes and contaminate your drinking water, leading to sickness and serious health hazards.

Don’t use your home vacuum cleaner to remove the water. Regular vacuum cleaners are not made to vacuum liquids. This can cause the risk of electrical shock or damage your vacuum, adding another expense to your water damage tab.

Don’t walk on the wet carpets. This can press the water further into the fibers of your carpet and into the wood, causing a higher risk of mould.

HVAC systems (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) should not be used until the water damage is taken care of. They can spread contamination if they’ve come into direct contact with the water or it could damage the HVAC system itself.

If you find mould, don’t disturb it. Removing the mould yourself (even with gloves) can cause mold spores to spread throughout your house and exacerbate mold growth in your home.

Conclusion

Your first step should always be to contact a professional to take care of the issue. You can mop up as much water as possible, and if you know how, you can shut off the water mains in your house, but mould removal and restoration are best left to the experts.

Don’t wait around for wood to rot and mold to form! Call the experts and start the process of water damage repair in your home before it’s too late!