Water is an amazing thing in this world, but while it can do great things, it can also devastate. Here are all the different ways water can hurt your home
Water has the places it is supposed to be, like the ocean and in your water bottles, but there are other places that water should not be, such as in and around your home. It’s easy for water to get in, and if left alone for too long, it can cause some major damage. Water can hurt your home in many different ways. However, once you know about them, you can spot and address the issues before they can cause too much damage.
Dangerous Floods
Spilling a little water on the floor isn’t the biggest issue since it’s easy to clean. Even if you don’t clean it all the way, it’s not the worst. Small amounts of water aren’t too dangerous, but flooding in large amounts can be incredibly damaging.
A flood in your area can disrupt your foundation and contribute to major structural damage. Fortunately, big floods aren’t too common. Instead, you’re more likely to see something like a basement flood from plumbing problems or a leaky foundation. Flooding like this can be dangerous because it can weaken a home’s structure. It will also lead to mold if you can’t clean up all the water promptly. This leads use to the next point.
Mold Growth
One of the worst ways water can damage your home is by encouraging mold growth. Mold can develop even when the water in your home isn’t as substantial and obvious as a flood. Instead, you could have water leaking under your garage for different reasons, creating wet spots in your floor or walls that you don’t see immediately. You can also have leaks in your roof or high-humidity areas. When left alone, those damp spots become the perfect breeding grounds for mold.
This mold can start to rot the home’s wood components. It also jeopardizes the health of everyone in the house, worsening allergies and respiratory conditions. Mold from water like this may take a while to develop. But you don’t want to ignore it for too long because it can endanger your home and family.
Damaged Flooring
Have you ever seen different sagging or soft spots across your floor? Another way that water can hurt your home is by warping different areas of your flooring or even your walls. This warping typically happens around water fixtures, such as showers, washing machines, water heaters and dishwashers. The water from these fixtures leaks in small amounts and dries, which often happens over time. On top of warping, the wood in these areas can crack or even split if you’re not careful.
Seeing water in your home and foregoing an immediate response will only come back to bite you when it leads to further damage, such as mold and rotted wood. Water can hurt your home in all these ways, but you don’t have to let it. Be proactive and inspect your home regularly. Then, you can take care of any water damage that shows up before it gets out of hand.