6 Ways To Check For Water Damage
If you live on the East Coast, it rains a lot. Some years it rains more than others, but thanks to the Atlantic Ocean we’re never too short on water.
Of course, all that rainfall has to go somewhere, and whether you live up in the Appalachians or down along Chesapeake Bay, that means the soil in your area is getting plenty of moisture. That’s a good thing as far as the animals and the plant life are concerned, but a little water can do a lot of damage to a home or an office building. Because of this, buildings have a number of protections in place to keep them safe from water, but as they age these protections lose their effectiveness.
Here’s a quick list of 6 ways you can find out for yourself whether your home or place of business is already starting to leak.
- Discoloration. This is by far the easiest indicator to spot. There are a lot of things that dissolve in water, and they stay behind and stain the walls, ceiling, or floor for long after the water itself has evaporated.
- Check the seams. Buildings are always weakest at the joints where the walls meet each other and where they meet the floor. You may not find any obvious cracks or stains, but there may still be moisture seeping in from outside.
- Follow your nose. The scent of mildew is unmistakable, and it only grows when there’s enough moisture either condensing from the air or leaking out of the floor, wall, or ceiling.
- Tape a plastic sheet to the suspect area. If you leave it in place for a few days, particularly if it rains in that time, then if water is leaking in the bottom of the sheet will be wet.
- Check the pipes and the water heater for leaks and rust. Anything that carries water can leak if a pipe joint fails or if the caulk gets too old and brittle.
- Examine the drainage system and the roof. If the roof tiles are starting to peel or the gutter system isn’t moving water the way it should, and if the ground isn’t properly graded to slope gently away from the sides of the building, then even if there isn’t any water damage at present, it may be in your near future if you don’t fix the situation soon.
Of course, the best thing you can do is not to look for water damage, but rather to waterproof your house or office building and make sure it stays that way. At AA Action Waterproofing, we know that the cheapest repair you can make is the one you perform before there’s a problem at all.
If you live in Maryland, DC, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or northern Virginia, we can provide you with a free appraisal and estimate, whether you’re looking to waterproof your foundation before you find a leak or to repair it afterwards. We also handle mold remediation and decontamination.
As harmless as it seems in your glass, water is one of the most dangerous substances on Earth. It can carve out valleys, flatten mountains, and although it may take a few decades to do so, it can crumple your foundation. If you want to keep your property safe, your best bet is to keep a constant eye out for signs of water damage and to never let it get so much as a foothold.