Water damage is one of the worst things you can experience at home. It compromises your home’s structural integrity and exposes you to health hazards. Unfortunately, water damage may not always be what you assume it is. Signs of damage may be a little subtle, depending on the source and the amount of water. One of the most important things to do to spot water damage is to seek a professional opinion from a water damage restoration expert.
Contents
Below are some easy-to-spot signs of water damage.
1) Warped Floors
Cracked, buckled, or loose flooring is often a clear sign of water damage. If you have wooden floors, watch out for soft spots, staining, or warping. If your carpet has white or dark spots, smells musty, or feels damp to the touch, chances are you have water damage.
2) Peeling Paint on Walls
When walls soak up water, they expand slightly. This is often hard to notice, but it can cause your paint to peel off, bubble, or crack due to the elevated pressure. Also, watch out for “sweating walls” (the appearance of a thin film of water droplets).
3) Mold Growth
Dark and damp areas are a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. If you notice any signs of active mold—blotches of greenish growth on surfaces—there is a potential water source causing damage.
4) Swollen Furniture
When a flood happens, excess water is absorbed into furniture, causing damage. Some materials are at a lower risk for water damage, but many types of furniture are likely to mold if they’re exposed to water.
Wooden furniture is at high risk of water damage. Wood absorbs water like a sponge, leading to warping, peeling, rotting, and discoloration if left untreated. Watch out for furniture that feels damp, spongy, or has white or dark stains.
5) Higher Water Bills
Are you noticing unreasonably high water bills lately? This is another sign that you may have a hidden leak somewhere in your home that’s causing water damage. In fact, the leak might show up long before you notice other indications of water damage, such as mold growth, humidity, dampness, cracking or peeling paint, or water stains.
Talk to a Water Damage Restoration Specialist
Have you noticed any of these common signs of water damage? At the first indication, ensure you call a water damage restoration specialist to help you determine the cause and the appropriate course of action to take. Putting it off until later will only result in more damage and more expensive repairs.
Talk to our team of experts today at Shepherd’s Disaster Recovery and Remediation. If you are in need of water damage restoration services, contact us by calling (650) 861-4995. At Shepherd’s Disaster Recovery, we have the tools, experience, and expertise to take care of the worst water damage. You can also contact us online. We’re here to help and we look forward to working with you.