Common Results Of Water Damage In Your Home
Families like to enjoy time at home, especially in their backyard pool. While families enjoy playing hard in the water, they use a lot of water for mundane activities. The average American uses almost 100 gallons of water per day. According to the EPA, the average family can also waste almost 10,000 gallons of water annually from household leaks. That’s equivalent to the amount of water needed to wash more than 300 loads of laundry. These leaks can lead to significant water damage to your home if left unchecked.
Water Damage Cleanup In Texarkana
If you have a leak or broken appliance flooding your home, you must stop the flow of water immediately. Appliances, furniture, and carpets can be ruined as well as electronics which are especially vulnerable to water damage. Even a small amount of water damage requires a thoughtful and well-organized cleanup plan.
Cosmetic Damage
Sometimes water and excess moisture can cause unpleasant cosmetic damage to the materials of the home. For example, water that flows behind the walls can affect the drywall and paint finish. Signs include streaking or bubbling on the walls and ceilings. Before you cover up the stains with a fresh coat of paint, have a professional team investigate further. There may be more damage behind the surface.
Structural Damage
As neglected leaks get worse, they could cause structural damage to your property as well. In other words, moisture can degrade and compromise the actual structural elements such as concrete, wood, sheetrock, and rusted metal. Another example is a damaged chimney can allow rainwater to weaken the mortar between the bricks in your chimney.
Cycles of excess moisture with dry periods can cause changes to wood and sheetrock. These cycles break down the cellular structure of these organic materials. Around windows and doors, structural damage can cause shifting, causing:
- Uneven gaps around doors
- Windows that won’t open or close smoothly
- Doors won’t lock properly or stay closed
Extra humidity gets captured and causes lots of damage if you have a basement or crawlspace. A lack of sufficient ventilation can also lead to a damp subfloor. This dampness leads to rotting floor timbers. More serious than surface stains, deterioration can lead to failing floor joists causing extensive repairs.
Mold And Mildew
Depending on the source of water and the amount of time, standing water often contains harmful germs and bacteria. But another health danger also grows in excess moisture – mold.
After water damage, the concern arises from moisture behind walls and in other difficult-to-reach areas. The wall cavities make a perfect environment being dark with poor ventilation and become an organic food source for mold growth. In this scenario, mold can flourish for months after visible water is gone. In sensitive or health-compromised individuals, mold can cause allergic symptoms: red eyes, coughing, difficulty breathing, and poor sleep.
In Conclusion
Making memories and having fun is one of the most important things you can do with loved ones, but if you’re not careful, it can become very limited when it comes to water damage. If you discover water damage within your East Texas home, call Perfection Steamers for professional cleanup services. This cleaning team is dedicated to helping Texarkana families and businesses recuperate after water damage and helps you get back on your feet in no time.
