Congratulations on reaching this new chapter in your life! Buying a new home often provides more security and daily enjoyment. However, you wouldn’t want to purchase a property with hidden damage.
Disaster restoration companies spend hours daily reviewing and identifying water damage and restoring properties as close to pre-loss conditions as possible. We know how to identify water damage despite its various forms and appearances. Use what we know to check for water damage before paying for a new home.
If you’ve already bought the house and notice water damage signs, we offer water disaster restoration services in Draper, UT for home repairs. Call the team at Summit Restoration to learn more today.
Why You Should Address Water Damage Fast
If you own a home, you should quickly identify and mitigate water-related property damage around it. Even if the damage doesn’t appear drastic at first, it can negatively affect your house and health.
For example, water, combined with dark places like the insides of your walls, can lead to mold and mildew growth. The mold spores can infiltrate your HVAC system and circulate in the air, causing respiratory issues that can become permanent over time. Moreover, wood can rot from extended water exposure, weakening the walls and floors.
Quickly address the signs of water damage with emergency restoration services or identify them before purchasing your new home.
Common Water Damage Sources
You don’t need to wait for a natural disaster to look for water-related property damage. Call a restoration company if you notice any of the following:
- Clogged toilets, showers, or other appliances
- Burst pipes
- Leaky roofing
- Overflowing sewage
- Leaky pipes and faucets
- Poor gutter maintenance
Even after resolving the cause, you should look for signs of persistent water damage. However, if you haven’t fully purchased the property or signed agreements, paying disaster restoration companies for repairs might not be your responsibility.
Four Water Damage Signs to Note
While water damage can take many forms, it often has four distinct tells. When walking through a prospective property, look out for them and take pictures or videos to confirm your suspicions.
#1. Musty, Wet Smells
Paint, wood, and other materials take on a specific scent when wet or growing mold. The smell often presents as musty or swampy, and you may feel the room is more humid than desired.
If you can walk through the property first, follow your nose to any of these smelly areas. Check basements, bathrooms, and kitchens for the strange scent, especially in cabinets and other hidden spots.
#2. Dripping Sounds
Disaster restoration companies know that dripping noises often indicate a leak somewhere within the property. You shouldn’t excuse drippy faucets or shower heads either since a leak at the head could indicate issues elsewhere in the pipeline. Even small leaks can become substantial under-surface damage if the property owner leaves them unchecked.
If you can, turn the faucet on briefly and make sure the water completely stops dripping when you turn it off. A faucet that doesn’t stop could attach to a pipeline leaking water into the walls.
#3. Spot the Spots
Discolored spots on the walls or ceiling indicate underlying water damage that could require expensive repairs. Older spots often indicate mold growth, which can develop within 24 hours of a leak. The darker the stain, the older it likely is.
Also, watch for areas indoors and outdoors where paint bubbles or wood warps and peels since they often indicate moist areas. Window and door areas tend to show these signs the most visibly. If you touch the spot and feel dampness or moisture, a leak has likely developed into water damage.
#4. Evaluate the Rooftop
Your roof should protect you from the elements, but it can’t do its job properly without proper maintenance. If the current owner doesn’t maintain their roofing, you may have to call emergency services for repairs if you purchase the property.
Look over the roof and gutter area for signs that the roofing needs care to prevent water damage:
- Clogged or leaky gutters
- Discolored roof materials
- Loose or cracked shingles
- Standing water on the roof
- Icicles hanging from the eaves
- Melted snow spots on the roof
A Secure Home Makes a Happy One
Many disaster restoration companies receive calls without inclement weather or sudden plumbing problems due to unseen water damage. As you search for your new home, we’d like you to find one with fewer issues you’d need to call us for. But, if you purchase a house and find water damage late, call Summit Restoration at (385) 469-2638 for assistance.
