It may seem like common sense to look for property damage after a roof leak, burst pipe, or flood. But what about the drips, drops, and pools of water building up in the areas of your home you can’t see with the naked eye? After all, it’s hard to think about and take care of a problem if you don’t even know it exists.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could prevent big, expensive, unexpected repairs or at least catch them in the early stages? At Disaster Kleenup Specialists, we want to help you do just that by uncovering 7 common areas of potential hidden water damage in your home.
- Around A Chimney
- Under House Siding — Behind Exterior Faucets
- Around Windows
- At The Bottoms Of Exterior Doors
- Behind Drywall
- Beneath & Behind Appliances
- Behind & Beneath Indoor Plumbing Fixtures
1. Around The Chimney
Something’s up with the chimney and, unfortunately, it’s not jolly old St. Nick. When water pools around compromised masonry and flashing it can damage shingles, panels, and sub-roofing around your chimney — ultimately leading to failure or ceiling collapse. Sometimes all you need is a new cap or some minor tuck pointing to replace crumbling and missing mortar. Regular inspections can help.
2. Under House Siding
Your home’s exterior finished keeps the elements out and the people and possessions you care about protected. Seams between panels and unsealed spaces within your siding are perfect entryways for moisture. That leaky exterior faucet could be the source and entry point of water, for example. Keep an eye out for buckling, warping, or damages siding.
3. Around Your Windows
Rain can make its way into your walls around old or improperly installed window frames. Window cooling units can encourage collected water to pool underneath. Peeling or cracking paint lets water seep into sills, damaging the wood. Spongy wood around a window can mean rot. Loose jamb’s and sills are just asking for trouble.
4. Under Exterior Doors
With all that opening and closing, day after day our doors go through a lot. Damage and regular wear can loosen weather stripping and metal bottom rail of exterior doors. Water can then get into the area of wood underneath, the threshold of your door.
5. Inside Wall Framing, Behind Drywall
After a basement flood or broken pipe issue, you may notice wet areas at the bottom of your interior walls. Believe it or not, drying the wall surface isn’t enough to prevent water damage. Moisture can soak into the drywall and collect between framing studs encouraging structure rot and mold.
6. Beneath & Behind Appliances
Clothes washers and dishwashers are notorious sources of home water damage. That’s because we don’t spend a lot of time moving these big, heavy appliances. Even a small leak can create the perfect environment for mold and mildew to take hold of your floors and walls.
7. Beneath & Behind Indoor Plumbing Fixtures
On the same note, sinks, tubs, and toilets are constantly being filled with water. All it takes is a little deteriorated caulking or compromised pipe seal to start causing damage to walls and sub floors. Staying on top of waterproof seal maintenance and watching for spongy areas and musty smells can help.
Worried About Water? We Know Where To Look.
If you’ve recently dealt with flooding, leaks, or burst pipes, or just happen to live in an older home, it’s important to be aware of hidden sources of water damage. At Disaster Kleenup Specialists, serving you in and around Monterey and Santa Cruz, we can help you with thorough structural drying, flood cleanup, water damage repairs, and weatherproofing. If you’re already noticing the signs of mold, we can help you with remediation services too.
Contact us today to schedule an inspection.