Water damage is an increasingly prevalent threat in homes today and requires immediate action to address long-term concerns. When left unattended, it quickly soaks through floors and drywall, damages soft furnishings, causes wood swell, creates the ideal conditions for mold growth, and can even result in serious health concerns for residents.
Water damage in your home can be identified by musty smells, warped walls and sudden respiratory difficulties, all signs that require maintenance to avoid further water damage. Partnering with your insurance agent to properly maintain and insure against home water damage can help protect it in the future.
Water Damage
Imagine returning home after an exhausting day of running errands only to discover water damage on your carpet and walls, quickly spreading throughout the home and creating health hazards, ruining furniture, and making the environment unsafe. Water can quickly destroy materials, ruin furniture and render a space uninhabitable if left unattended for too long.
As soon as you detect water damage, the first step should be to turn off both electricity and water supplies to prevent further damage from happening. Once this has been accomplished, contact a professional assessor for help to evaluate and determine whether your homeowner’s insurance covers it.
Water damage falls into three categories. Category one, known as clean water damage, does not contain toxins or sewage waste, while categories two and three, “grey” water with contaminants present, are hazardous to your health and require immediate remediation measures to restore. It could take professional cleaners several days or weeks for their services to dry your property after a water disaster occurs within its walls. Also, you should know that water damage might be covered by your home warranty. More about this here: https://www.cinchhomeservices.com/faq-library/-/faq/does-a-home-warranty-cover-water-damage
Mold Damage
Mold and mildew growth is a telltale sign of home water damage. If it goes undetected for too long, health issues and increased costs associated with repairs could arise as a result.
Mold spores tend to accumulate quickly in damp environments and begin thriving within 24 hours if left untreated, only growing worse over time.
Moisture and food sources are key elements for the development of mold growth. Most common fungi require food sources like cellulose, paper, and organic compounds for sustenance – cellulose being an organic compound derived from trees and other sources being one source. Carpets, paper, drywall, and other porous building materials offer ideal environments for mold to flourish in its entirety.
Before painting or caulking an area, mold, and other fungi must be completely eliminated to protect against the spread of spores and ensure it’s safe for resale. Professional removal services should be hired for this task as their removal methods vary depending on what species of fungi exist within the home.
Structural Damage
Floodwater can have devastating consequences for homes. Water has the power to alter its surroundings, shifting soil and creating sinking foundations or warped floors and walls in its wake.
No matter the source of water damage, everything within an affected area usually only takes an hour or two for everything to become saturated with moisture – including personal belongings, wood furniture, drywall and building materials – eventually becoming water damaged and eventually being completely lost – bulges may form on drywall panels, wallpaper may blister off of walls, wood structures like doors and window frames will expand due to swelling.
Homes damaged by long-term water damage often become unlivable due to the enormous amounts of work necessary for reconstruction and cleaning in order to bring it back up to an inhabitable condition.
Health Hazards
Water damage also poses serious health hazards in the home, from allergies and infections to health concerns such as malodor. Even clean water damage creates an ideal breeding ground for mildew and mold growth that can cause allergy attacks and infections that put inhabitants’ health at risk.
Category 1, or clean water damage, often results from leaky pipes and faucets as well as bathtubs or sinks overflowing. Because this type of water doesn’t contain toxins or sewage, it can usually be cleaned at home using rubber gloves, eye protection, and face masks in order to avoid infection or other potential health concerns.
Fungus and mold quickly start growing after water damage occurs, eventually warping walls, flooring, and solid wood structures swell or split. Exposure to long-term moisture exposure poses serious health risks as well as costly home repairs – therefore, it is wise to avoid homes that have suffered long-term water damage.
