It is impossible to live without water; some persons even say water is life. But despite its benefits to making sure the earth remains, water can be a great destructive force if when it chooses to be.
There are so many natural disasters that are water-related, from floods to tsunamis to storms, and so on. You will be interested to learn that there have been more water-related disasters in the last half a century than those caused by other factors.
As if that is not enough, if you were to rank hazards that could potentially ruin your home, water damage may very well take a spot at the top. A building can suffer severe damage when it gets damp in places that should not be.
Aside from physically damaging the home, mold growth and vermin infestation can also become an issue. If the issue is not tackled as soon as possible through restoration, the very foundation of the building can be weakened.
The cost of restoring and repair can also be quite expensive. Although no one can predict the time it would happen or even control some events that lead to it, knowing the causes of this problem can go a long way. By knowing the causes, you can try your best to prevent them from happening in your home.
With that being said, let us highlight water damage’s most common causes…
1. Leaking Pipes
It may be a pipe that is not properly fitted in your kitchen sink and next thing, there is enough dampness to ruin the kitchen cabinet underneath.
A pipe broken within the building’s walls could also be the problem; this can be a very complicated issue. A leak like this can cause such devastating damage since the walls would be damaged and dampened. A whole mold colony can begin to foster right there in the walls. So, wherever you have leaking pipes, try to tackle the problem as soon as possible to avoid creating a bigger one.
2. Leaking Washing Machine Supply Line
A washing machine’s supply lines are constantly under pressure and may rapture or wear out. This is especially true of PVC or rubber supply lines. Once this happens, your laundry room can get flooded in a matter of minutes if the water supply is not shut off fast.
3. Clogged Gutters
The gutter systems are there to remove rainwater away from the house, but the gutters may get clogged by branches, leaves, or any debris at all.
In this case, rainwater will stop flowing away from the house properly. Instead, the rainwater will overflow the gutters, and then go down the house. This can cause damage to the walls, floor, and ceiling.
This can be a serious issue that may require a water damage restoration company. You can check out this company to learn how professionals will properly tackle the problem.
Therefore, you have to clean out your gutters every once in a while, to prevent them from getting clogged.
4. Blocked Drains
Your bathroom floors, bathtub, kitchen sink, and other drains can become clogged for several reasons. Grease can build up, foreign objects like toys, dirt, toiletries, hair, and so on can clog the drain and stop normal drainage.
If this is not dealt with fast, then water can get back up the clogged drains which would ultimately cause flooding inside the house.
5. AC Condensation
Your AC unit makes condensation; the moisture would drip from the evaporator coil and go down into the drain pan. Then, the moisture is taken out of the house via the drain line.
This usually works effectively unless the drain line gets clogged with dirt or dust or the drain pan gets damaged. Once this happens, the condensation will leak directly from the AC into the house. The moisture can now damage your walls, floors, or even cause your insulation to get soggy.
6. Faulty Sprinkler Systems
In the case of a fire emergency, your sprinkler system may not just save your home, but it may very well save your life.
However, some older systems have sometimes come on even without any fire indications. A faulty sprinkler can cause considerable damage. This is especially true when electronic appliances like computers and the likes were exposed.
7. Leaks from Your Water Heater
The chances that your water heater will start leaking are quite high if you have had it for a while. A badly installed or poorly maintained heater can also pose this problem. High tank pressure can also result in a leak. Presumably, the heater is in your basement. So, when it starts to leak, the basement can get flooded fast.
8. Harsh Weather
This is one reason that can’t be prevented. Water-related disasters like hurricanes, thunderstorms, and so on don’t occur daily. This article: https://hazards.uw.edu/water/ discusses 3 common water-related hazards. However, when they do, they can put your property at risk of severe damages.
Your roofs can be damaged by the heavy downpour and winds; this would send rainwater directly into your building.
What to Do When You Experience Water Damage
Most of the causes of water damage discussed in this article can be avoided by simply taking preventive measures. Clean your gutters, take care of leaking pipes, or drains immediately, and do every other thing that needs to be done to prevent this issue.
However, sometimes, preventing this problem is not possible. So, if you ever encounter this issue in your home, you have to be intentional about your approach to it.
First, you have to contact the insurance company. If you are in the home at the time of the event, you must protect your valuables and yourself. Ensure you wear protective clothing and if possible, turn the power off. If you have to enter wet areas to turn the power off, then it is better not to risk it since this can result in electrical shocks.
Finally, you may need to hire a water damage restoration company. If this is needed, make sure you get a reliable company to ensure the proper repair is done to avoid problems like mold growth down the road.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed some of the most common water damage causes. We believe avoiding these causes will help you protect your home from this issue.