How Serious Is Water Damage?
If it is left untreated, the presence of water damage can permanently compromise the structure of your home. It can also affect the health of you and your family and lead to illness. This is because small amounts of moisture can end up attracting large colonies of bacteria and mold.
How serious is water damage? The simple answer is that it is an issue that should never be ignored because the resulting consequences can be both financial and health-related. With these points in mind, the following information is designed to explore this topic further. It is also designed to inform you about what you need to do when you recognize water damage in your property.
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What Happens If Water Damage Goes Untreated?
To fully understand the answer to the question of how serious is water damage, it is important to know what will happen when it goes untreated. The bottom line is the fact that leaving water damage untreated will inevitably lead to serious financial consequences as well as potential health issues.
It can be tempting to view a small water leak as no big deal. It might appear like minor damage that is not a major concern. The truth is that this small leak can end up leading to a mold problem that involves your entire home. Even small water damage issues can lead to thousands of dollars worth of repairs that end up becoming necessary. The presence of mold and mildew can also end up causing you and your family to become sick. A few of the long-term consequences of untreated water damage include:
- Water Can Cause Serious Damage to Your Wooden Flooring – Wooden surfaces essentially act as a sponge for water. It is because of this that water damage to wooden floors is such a common occurrence. The longer water damage goes unaddressed, the more it can spread throughout the entire flooring layout of your home. This can lead to buckling and warping and will eventually cause structural damage.
- Water Damage Can Affect Your Home’s Electrical System – Water and electricity are two things that simply do not mix. If water damage is not properly addressed, it can end up causing damage to your home’s electrical circuits. This can lead to dangerous electrical shorts. The reality is that water damage to your home’s electrical system represents a fire hazard.
- Water Can Ruin Your Drywall – It only takes a small amount of moisture exposure for your home’s drywall to sustain damage and become brittle. From there, it will swell and become a breeding ground for mold. Walls that are mold-infested, warped, and deformed are the end result of untreated water damage.
- Water Can Cause Pipe Corrosion – Corroded pipes are another consequence of water damage that is not addressed correctly. The worst part is the fact that corroded pipes will then inevitably cause further water damage when they leak.
- Water Can Lead to Damaged Ceilings – Water damage in your home’s ceiling that is left unaddressed will continue to get worse. This can lead to discoloration as well as a ceiling that bulges. It can cause damage to your lighting fixtures and ceiling fans. Untreated water damage in your ceiling will also inevitably lead to mold growth.
- Water Damage Can Ruin Your Carpet – The effects of water damage on carpet include weakening, decay, and warping. If the issue is not addressed, it can end up damaging the subfloor underneath your carpet.
- A Look at the Health Consequences – The health consequences of untreated water damage include exposure to mold, mildew, fungus, toxins, and chemicals that can make you and your family sick. Many of these contaminants can cause respiratory issues and they can make allergies worse.
- Water Damage Will Lower Your Home’s Overall Value – Water damage is harmful to your home’s structure and your family’s health. It also looks bad from an aesthetic standpoint. It is difficult to cover unaddressed water damage by simply painting over it. All of these factors can end up lowering the value of your home.
How Do I Know If Water Damage Is Bad?
There are several key things that you can look at the get an idea of how serious the water damage in your home is. These include:
Identify How Far the Water Damage Has Currently Spread – It is important to identify how far the water damage has spread across your property. Water can easily travel from its original source and into your floors, walls, carpet, ceilings, and furniture. It can also move from one room to the next with relative ease. The best thing you can do is to carefully examine your walls and floors for the presence of water damage and then check adjoining rooms for signs of leaks and water spots. Bringing in the services of an experienced water damage restoration company is one of the best things you can do to determine the extent of the damage.
Are You Dealing With Grey or Black Water? – Even the smallest occurrences of flooding and water damage in your home can be of great concern if you are dealing with grey or black water. These types of water come from toilets, natural flooding, sewers, and home appliances. They are full of dangerous pathogens such as bacteria that can cause serious health issues.
A Look at Long-Term Signs Associated With Water Damage – The presence of a musty smell and visible mold/mildew are key signs of long-term water damage that need to be addressed by trained professionals.
Does Water Damage Get Worse Over Time?
Water damage absolutely does get worse over time. What might start out as a small issue can end up leading to a costly problem. The longer you fail to address water damage, the worse the problem will become. Given the time-sensitive nature of this issue, it is important to seek out help from trained water damage repair and restoration professionals once you identify an issue in your property.
If you are currently dealing with water damage in your home, it is time to take action. Our team of water damage restoration professionals here at ServiceMaster Fire & Water Damage Restoration is here to help. We are known as the Lexington, KY region’s top water damage restoration team. Reach out to us today by phone or through our online contact page to find out more about how we can help. You can count on our team to provide you with a quick response for all of your water damage repair and restoration needs.
