Water accumulation should never be taken gently specifically in your house. Water damage has a significant tendency to destroy anything in its way. In the United States, 21% of homes face destruction due to residential water damage yearly. If water gathers in a home’s basement, the integrity of the foundation will be compromised and the home will be at the verge of collapse. When water accumulates in your home, it can not only harm your personal belongings but also influence your health in a bad way. Find out many more reasons below why you cannot ignore water damage.
Water Attacks the Structural Integrity of Your Home
Residential water damage weakens the basic integrity of a home, particularly a roof and load-bearing walls. Heavy water damage means your home’s structure stays in contact with moisture for a long time, causing serious structural problems in load-bearing walls and foundations.
Harm To Load-Bearing Walls
Load-bearing walls are essential to the structure of a home and are the ones that support most of the weight of your home. Without these walls, your house would collapse. Residential water damage can also be harmful for the integrity of a rusted structure and weaken critical metal structures.
Signs Of a Structurally Damaged House
Slanted windows and door frames are common signs of a structurally weakened home. Metal or steel parts will rust, while wooden beams can rot. The resulting repairs under floors, above ceilings, and behind walls can be extremely expensive. On the surface, structural damage may appear minor. But it could indicate greater underlying damage.
Concealed destructions can cause long-term irreversible damage to a home. To determine if your home is prone to possible structural damage, you will need to look for leaks in the pipes, gutters, and roof. If all of this turns out to be true, the restoration process can take a toll on your wallet.
Mold Growth Causes a Lot of Damage Than You Might Think
Mold can be the result of residential water damage. Water damage creates high levels of moisture on the right surfaces which can turn into mold, which is dangerous to your health. Molds like moisture. When left untreated, mold can cause health problems for occupants. It can cause skin problems and breathing problems in people indoors, especially people with eczema or asthma.
Mold growth will also lead to musty odors in your home, as well as airborne spores that can cause various respiratory illnesses and even some types of cancer. Every home should be kept clean and healthy to avoid unwanted illnesses. If you allow a single drop or leak to seep into your floorboards, you create the perfect environment for mold to grow. Your quick intervention to repair the water damage and a little cleaning on your property will prevent this type of event.
Water Damage Causes Electrical Hazards
This is one of the most dangerous effects of water damage. Ignoring electrical damage can be detrimental to your home’s electrical system. For example, water seeping through your walls could eventually reach your circuit breakers. If water gets near power cords or sensitive plugs, it could cause a serious disaster. Therefore, you need to be very careful when it comes to protecting your electrical system from water damage. In addition, you need to make sure that the main switch in your house is well protected from water.
Water Damage Affects Your Health
The types of health problems that you start to notice when there is mold in the house include exacerbated breathing problems for those at risk and skin problems like increased eczema problems. If you can’t tell that these increases in health symptoms are the result of home conditions, your doctor will likely tell you during your visits. A few types of molds can be harmful to everyone in the house.
This can lead to asthma, allergies, or other health problems. Once you know what the problem might be, a home inspection should be an immediate step so that water damage restoration technicians can quickly repair the damage.
Dramatically Increases Your Utility Bills
Leaking taps, pipes and other water valves are among the leading causes of water damage in homes. If ignored, large amounts of water can be wasted, resulting in high water bills. When your water service costs are higher than average, it should be a red flag, especially if you haven’t changed your daily habits. It’s an indication that damage to the house is happening somewhere and water is wasted – a big impact on the environment. Water utilities can notify you if your water usage is too high. Always check your monthly water bill for potential problems.
Residential Water Damage Can Bankrupt You
The longer the water damage stays on your property, the more expensive it will be. A small leak becomes a big problem when it affects the integrity of your floors and your home. Over time, the buildup of water on your soil can cause it to rot and warp. Because the water drains, it can travel to other areas of your home under the floor and cause further damage. Letting the damage build-up will mean more money spent on restoration and repairs.
When mold or water damage is repaired immediately, the costs are minimal. Long-lasting damage caused by water or mold is more difficult to repair; it costs a lot of time and money and even your health. In addition, damaged drywall will discolor, become fragile, and wrinkle. There may be stains and damage to the underlying wood frame. In these scenarios, significant work will likely be required to repair the damage that occurs inside the home to prevent structural damage, and it will literally cost you a fortune.
Home Insurance Claim Issues
Just keep these points in mind:
- 93% of insurance claims related to property damage.
- Residential water damage is the most common type of insurance claim after wind damage.
- Only half of the water damage claims are accepted, others are dismissed for negligence.
While it is true that your insurance will cover the cost of repairing the water damage, it might also deny the claim if the damage was caused by negligence or ignorance.
