Far from being a minor annoyance, water damage can lead to respiratory health issues and costly repairs due to imperiled structural integrity. As such, it’s critical to recognize signs of an undetected water leak to prevent further damage and eliminate potentially serious health concerns. Today, we’ll discuss the common signs of water damage and explain the first steps to solving this major house issue.
Signs of Water Damage
Sometimes it’s easy to identify water damage, but sometimes the problem may be particularly sneaky, with water seepage in hidden places that eventually snowballs into a serious issue. It’s important to regularly inspect your home for moisture intrusion, so pay close attention to these common indicators of water damage.
Musty Smell
Water leaks often show up as a scent before any other signs show up. Musty smells are a common sign of potential water damage, as it indicates rotten wood or plaster. Follow your nose when you notice musty odors to see if there’s a leak nearby.
Mold Growth
Moisture build-up enables mold growth, which then starts to damage surrounding materials and results in visible mold. The mold, too, will cause a musty odor, further exacerbating the problem. Check for brown spots, particularly near plumbing fixtures. A leaking water heater or dripping radiant heating systems are common culprits, as the combination of heat and moisture is very attractive to mold.
Water Stains and Discoloration
Standing water will start to infiltrate and discolor damaged materials, resulting in soft spots that are noticeably darker or lighter than the surrounding areas. They may be particularly prevalent near where walls meet, around baseboards, or in a large halo patch on the ceiling.
Wood flooring might have dark patches around the wall or directly under a water leak. If wet flooring isn’t dried up, it’ll lead to further damage as the water seeps below and into the subfloor. All these signs indicate leaking pipes behind the material that must be investigated further.
Dripping Noises
Strange noises should always be investigated further, especially if they are combined with damp areas. You may hear a ticking, dripping, or rushing noise, depending on how extreme the leak is. Broken pipes might rattle, while a leaky roof might only make noise during and after a rainstorm. However, don’t assume you can spot water damage by sound alone, as leaks can make deceptive sounds that mask exactly where the noise is coming from.
If you hear odd noises coming from water heaters, washing machines, or sinks, your utility bills can help confirm that you have an issue. If your water bills have been steadily rising over time, this may point to a leaking pipe.
Health Issues
Mold growth and decaying organic material can result in a host of potential health hazards, from allergic skin reactions to respiratory infections. If you notice that you have a runny nose, watery eyes, and a bad cough that clears up when you spend time away from home, this can indicate leaks in the walls that are creating mold infestations.
Peeling and Bubbling Paint
Peeling paint isn’t just an aesthetic issue but a possible sign of hidden water damage. As water drips onto the walls, it decouples the paint from the surface, resulting in warping and bubbling. This problem is also very common on painted furniture near water sources. Similarly, water intrusion affecting hard surfaces like laminate floors causes them to split and buckle.
How to Check for Water Damage
Regular inspections are a must to spot hidden water damage before it gets worse. Each month, visit every area of your house to look for telltale signs of excessive moisture, and if you find them, seek professional help.
Basement and Attic
Excess moisture often shows up first in basements and attics, and they are often not caught as quickly because these are little-traveled areas of the home. Look for leaks around any appliances, like your washing machine and water heater, and scour the walls for visible mold growth, particularly around darker areas of the rooms.
Closely Inspect the Walls
Your walls should never have water stains, even dried ones. These indicate leaks below the material that have to be rectified. Investigate them for peeling paint or a musty odor and if you note any, call PacWest Restoration for a full investigation.
Check Under the Sink
Leaks are common under sinks because they are used so regularly. It’s also easy to note musty smells because the area is more enclosed. Open up the cabinet and feel around the pipes to note any moisture, then shine a flashlight on the walls to look for damp patches or discoloration.
Window Frames and Sills
Sometimes, water damage comes from outside of the home, not from pipes. Poorly sealed windows can allow rain in, which will inevitably cause mold and discoloration in the area. Check for drafts that indicate that the window isn’t fully sealed, then look for more obvious signs of water damage like water spots, mold, or bubbling paint. If you catch them early enough, you can perform preventive maintenance by cleaning and drying the area and then resealing the window.
How to Address Water Damage
While we always want to try to prevent leaks, sometimes it’s not possible, in which case you need to address the water damage and prevent further problems. Once you notice minor water damage, follow these steps to take care of the issue.
Shut the Water Off
Turn off the water in the area as soon as possible so as to prevent further water flow. If you’re working near electrical equipment, turn off the electricity too.
Wear Protective Gear
If you’re cleaning up small amounts of fresh Category 1 water, you don’t need extensive gear. However, for Category 2 (grey water) and Category 3 (black water), you need PPE to protect your mucus membranes and respiratory system from mold, chemicals, and bacteria. The longer any type of water sits, the more contaminated it gets, turning into the next category.
If you have black water damage, you must call a professional right away, as this type of water contains dangerous contaminants. If you need to deal with dirty water even briefly, you need to wear PPE. While full-body coveralls are ideal, at the bare minimum, you will need the following:
- Heavy-duty rubber gloves
- Eye protection, like goggles
- Rubber soled boots
- N-95 respirator
- Long-sleeved shirt and pants
If you suspect structural integrity damage, don’t enter the area. Instead, tape it off and call a professional right away. After you finish with PPE, dispose of it immediately.
Clean Mold Off the Affected Area
First, you will want to kill and scrape away surface-level mold. Spray a mixture of white vinegar and baking soda onto the surface, allow it to sit for a bit, then use a scrub brush to detach the spores. Then, wipe it off and let dry. You may want to apply this several times to be sure that you have killed all the spores.
Dry Out Water and Dehumidify
Now that you’ve gotten rid of the surface-level mold colonies, you’ll want to remove all the water from the area. Open up all the windows to improve cross ventilation and get a few fans going. Wipe any remaining surface water first, then set up dehumidifiers to pull water from the air. You may need to run them for quite a while, emptying them as necessary until they stop filling up. Remember to sanitize the pans to avoid further mold infestation.
Contact Your Insurance
Once you’ve dealt with the immediate issue, you’ll need to talk to your insurance company about the water damage and see how they can help. Call your policy number and explain what has happened. You may need to provide pictures or other evidence of the water damage so they can identify whether it’s covered.
Seek Help From Professionals
To truly fix water damage, you need help from professionals like PacWest Restoration. We can not only identify water damage but also find and resolve the underlying issue, leaving your home safe once again. Give us a call 24/7 at 503-746-6545, or contact us through our website to discuss your water damage issue and learn how we can assist.
FAQs
How do you know where water damage is coming from?
Signs of water damage do not necessarily show up right next to the source. They may appear several feet away or even on different levels of the house. The only way to know for sure is to contact a professional who can use hygrometers and other measurement equipment to find the source.
How do you find hidden water damage?
Pay close attention to smells, unusual sounds, and discoloration. Use all of your senses to see if anything seems amiss. However, if you suspect damage, call a professional, as it may be more extensive than you think. Expert restorationists can find hidden water damage by using moisture meters and other professional-grade technology. We’ll be able to track the levels and see where the numbers spike, which is likely the source of the problem.
How do you know if water damage is permanent?
Sadly, all water damage is permanent. The structure is not going to repair itself, and you will need professional intervention to fix the issue and potentially replace water damaged building materials. The longer you wait to see if the water damage resolves on its own, the more expensive the repairs will be.
How do I know if my pipe is leaking under the floor?
There are several ways that a leak under the floor could manifest. You may notice warm spots where hot water is rushing out of the pipe, and there may be a strange smell seeping from the floorboards. A rushing, trickling, or dripping noise indicates that the water is falling onto the subfloor. Damp patches will show that there is water in the vicinity, as well. Lastly, check your water bill to see if there are any unusual spikes in activity. If so, it’s likely that you have a leaky pipe below your floor.
