The last thing any homeowner needs to deal with is extensive water damage impacting the interior or exterior of their home. This damage can cost both time and money that would be better spent elsewhere, which is why seeking out professional water damage restoration services as soon as possible is so important.
What is Water Damage?
To those unfamiliar with the term, water damage is any type of physical damage, whether accidental or not, caused by water to your property. When water damage occurs, water makes contact with the walls and other surfaces within your home.
Over time, if left untreated, the water begins to seep into the home and can cause long-term damage. This includes molding, musty smells, and health hazards resulting from bacteria that has been allowed to grow unchecked. Water damage can result in repairs related to flooring, furniture, mold repair, installing new drywall, replacing structural elements of the home, and more.
What Causes Water Damage?
There can be a number of different causes for water damage ranging from natural to non-natural. The most common causes of water damage include:
- Floods, hurricanes, or other natural disasters
- Damaged pipes that are leaking
- Water clogged up
- Leaking water heater
- Blocked drains
- Condensation from the air conditioning
- Washing machine water supply line leak
- Malfunctioning sprinkler systems
While there can be additional causes for water damage, the above are the most prevalent. Considering drywall installation can cost between $990-$2,999, learning to spot the various signs indicating water damage has occurred always needs to be a high priority.
What Does Water Damage Look Like?
The signs of water damage will vary depending on the stage of that damage, as well as the extent of the water, but the most common signs to look out for include:
- Musty smells coming from the home
- Mold appearing in crevices or cracks
- Peeling wallpaper or paint
- Small hairline cracks or larger spiderwebbed shaped patterns
- Bubbling paint
- Random discoloration or stains on the ceiling or walls
Stay vigilant for any of the above signs that water damage may have occurred in your home. The problem can be difficult to fix on your own, but the help of a professional restoration team can allow the issue to be solved in no time at all.
How Can Professional Restoration Help
- Damaged items will be returned to their original condition
Perhaps the biggest benefit of a professional restorationist is that all items and locations in the home affected by water damage can be repaired. For homeowners who have sentimental items or attachments to the things damaged, this can mean the world.
- Further damage will be stopped in its tracks
The longer water damage is left to sit means the more time it has to seep into the home. This can result in more mold developing that allows for bacteria to flourish. Beyond the bacteria themselves posing as a health risk, the extensive water damage can quickly cause the deterioration of walls and, even worse, your ceiling.
- Hidden problems can be found before they become serious
Water damage isn’t always visible to the naked eye. You may see a slight bit of mold and get concerned but think nothing of it if there isn’t too much. However, it’s best to think of that mold like an iceberg: it may only be 10% of the actual mold in the area.
Additionally, if damage is left to go unchecked, gravity can take over and cause damaged wood to collapse which can pose a major health risk to anybody inside a home.
- Reduction of health risks by fixing damage
Collapsing wood isn’t the only dangerous part of water damage in a home. Water damage can result in the increase of individual, less common, bacteria that can pose a risk to your health. Avoid inhaling harmful bacteria by fixing water damage as soon as it occurs.
- The opportunity for light remodeling
Perhaps the other benefit to having professional restoration work done to fix water damage is that it gives you the chance to remodel a bit. Find the silver lining an use the tear down of certain walls in the home as inspiration for a new redesign.
Don’t settle for a water damaged home
No homeowner should have to deal with interior molding or disgusting musty smells emanating from rooms in their home. Take action by seeking out a professional water damage restoration company that can solve your problems quickly and with ease. Water damage can have long-term health repercussions, which means getting the issue resolved with haste should be your top priority.