Causes of Water Damage in Houses

Water damage includes hurdles that emerge from creeping water in your property or where it shouldn’t be. Unattended water leaks in walls, roofs, floors, and basement foundations could weaken the building.

Common causes of water damage

Clogged gutters: Gutters are supposed to aid in harvesting roof water and drain the rainwater from the house. Channels usually get blocked by branches, leaves, debris, and dirt from the surrounding environment. Clogged gutters bring about standing water that runs downside and overflow at the edge causing damage to the ceiling, floors, and walls.

Severe weather: When natural disasters such as thunderstorms and hurricanes occur, your property is always at the risk of being strike by water damage. An intense downpour could damage your roof or lead to flash flooding.

Leaking pipes: This may be a result of loose-fitting lines. Leakages are known to destruct and damage cabinets, walls and foster the formation of colony mold. Leaking plumbing or drainage pipe in slabs weakens the concrete.

Blocked drains: Drainage channels in sinks, bathroom floors, and bathtubs clog due to objects and dirt buildup. Clogged gutters could easily lead to flooding inside your room.

Water supply line leak: Supply lines are usually under high pressure. Consider using braided stainless steel water lines instead of PVC or rubber supply lines. PVC/rubber supply lines easily rupture and wear out quickly, leading to overflow and flooding.

Leaking water heater: Poorly maintained and badly installed water heaters are at high risk of leaking. Pressure in the heater tank may also bring about water drippings.

Damaged drain line from AC: Through condensation, the air conditioning evaporator coil produces moisture drippings. The moisture is led into the drain pan, then out of the property through a condensate drain line. Damaged drain pan and clogged condensate drain line leads to water dripping from AC unit to the floor, causing damage and soggy insulation.

Malfunctioning water sprinkler systems: Fire sprinkler systems are vital in extinguishing fire hazards on your property. Old and poorly maintained sprinklers may turn on by themselves, causing considerable water damages.

Types of Water Damage

Clean water damage: It is the least severe destruction process. It involves overflowed clean water from broken pipes, sinks, bathtubs, and water supply lines. In most cases, a homeowner can dry the water quickly without significant side effects on the property.

Greywater damage: This category involves water from appliances like toilets, sump pump backups, and washing machines. When the house surfaces come into contact with greywater, it’s recommended to remove affected items and disinfect the property.

Blackwater damage: It is the most extreme water damage. Water damage arising from black water occurs from seawater, sewage, rising floodwater, groundwater, and river. Blackwater intrusion in your property may require you to remove the items for drying and disinfect significantly.

Conclusion

To minimize and prevent water damages, it’s recommended to carry out regular inspections, repairs, and maintenance procedures. Additionally, as a homeowner, you can integrate an automatic system that detects water leaks and floods.