In most cases, leaks are very visible. You see the water, investigate the leak, and work with a professional to solve the issue. However, a lot of water damage is hidden. It hides behind walls, under flooring, and even in cabinetry.
Unfortunately, water can cause a significant amount of damage to your home. Water can damage your possessions, cause structural damage to your home, and put your family at risk.
This is especially true the longer the problem goes undetected. So it is really important that you are able to detect the hidden signs of water damage and have the issue repaired before it becomes a larger problem.
Here are hidden signs that your home has water damage and you need to work with a professional water damage repair team to remediate the situation:
Clues That You’ve Got Water Damage
Musty Smells
One of the best ways to determine if there is excess water in your home is a musty smell. Musty smells can not only signify water damage, they can also signify the conditions that could lead to water damage. Unfortunately, you can get used to musty smells over time and not notice them. So it’s important to check for musty smells after you’ve been away from your home for a while.
Flaking Or Peeling Walls
When water gets behind the walls it can begin to swell the drywall, plaster, or other wall materials like plywood. That swelling can lead to damage on the surface. If you notice areas where paint is bubbling or cracking or wallpaper is starting to peel, you may have water damage in those areas.
Warped Floors or Ceilings
Water doesn’t just cause swelling in wall materials, it can also lead to swelling in and under flooring and floorboards. This can lead to warping of the materials. Further, the swelling can happen in your ceiling. Oftentimes when there is water damage in your ceiling from a leak or excess moisture, there will be staining and dark spots. However, depending on the material of your ceiling, there may not be stains but there could be warping. In most cases, if you notice warping in your flooring or ceiling, it is likely you have water damage.
Your Water Bill Is More Expensive Than Usual
Water bills tend to stay around the small price each month. If your water bill jumps suddenly or even starts to slowly increase over time, take note. Make sure that your routine usage or the pricing hasn’t increased. If they haven’t, it’s likely you have a leak that is driving up your usage and increasing the cost of your monthly bill.
Contact a Water Mitigation Specialist
If you notice any of these hidden signs, you should contact a water damage mitigation and repair specialist.
They will investigate to see if there is any damage and to what extent your home has been damaged. Then they will put together a plan for water damage repair and clear your home of any issues.
Finally, they will help implement preventative measures to reduce your risk of further damage.
Our team can help you. We have many years of water damage repair experience, so we know how to spot all the hidden signs of damage. Give us a call any time to learn how we can help protect your home.