Is It A Big Deal?
Whether you have a big leak on your hands or a small one, any water leakage is never a good thing. It can cause water damage and you may not be immediately clear on just why water damage is such a bad thing to have. This article will inform you of the consequences such damage can have on your property and your health.
Rotting Wood
Perhaps the most obvious form of damage is that it can rot wood. Through mold and other means, the wood can slowly be chipped away. It’s also more pliable when wet. So, if there are sharp changes in temperature while the wood is wet, it can expand or drink dramatically and even splinter if there’s too much pressure. If the wood that is compromised makes up structural components, you might start to see cracks in your walls and flooring. This damage can be exacerbated with further damage from the water and other stressors.
Mold Growth
Another extremely alarming consequence is mold. As a fungus, mold becomes active when there is a certain amount of moisture in the air as well as a certain temperature. It sprouts spores which can travel quite a bit of distance and settle on surfaces. From there, the mold can grow and expand. Not only can it eat and weaken whatever it is resting on and whatever is around it but certain mold can be a health hazard as well. If it becomes prevalent enough or rests close to an air vent, that mold can spread through the air.
Attracts Pests
When wood becomes wet, it can attract pests to the area. Certain insects like the softer wood because it makes it easier to burrow inside of and lay their eggs. Termites, beetles, and even certain wasps can easily take up residence within the wood. This can make the structural components even weaker. Your home might become hollow and be considered inhabitable due to the damage it received. These types of pests can be difficult to remove if the infestation has gone on long enough without your notice.
Besides insects, other pests like rodents may be attracted to your home with easy access to water. Some even like to eat wood, too. Those that do not, however, can find nourishment in drinking the water and finding food in the rest of your house. Like your kitchen, for example. Since having insects and rodents in your home is a whole other issue that you’ll have to deal with, it’s best to prevent their incursion into your home from the start by ensuring you don’t have any leaking pipes.
Damaged Foundation
As mentioned a few times before, if water manages to trickle down to the base foundation of the home, it can cause quite a bit of damage there. Water slowly makes cracks form. It can erode those cracks and make them even worse until the very foundation of your home is threatened. Foundation work can be quite expensive, but it’s dangerous to inhabit a home with an unstable foundation. As such, the repairs are necessary if you want to keep living in the house.
Illness
With an example of a flood in your basement, that entire area is now subjected to waterborne illnesses. It’s extremely unlikely that the water that flooded your basement was treated. As such, the floor and everything else that the water comes in contact with could be contaminated with viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Not only does this large amount of water cause damage to the house itself it can also become a health threat.
Receive Help
Faced with any possible scenario, Insurcomm will respond immediately with trained and certified experts, led by a capable and experienced Project Manager, to your commercial or residential loss. Working in conjunction with your insurance carrier on your behalf, and offering direct billing in most cases, we can immediately begin the process of protecting your property from further loss or damage by making temporary repairs, securing your property from further water damage, and preparing a water damage assessment plan for long-term repairs and renovations.
Insurcomm possesses the latest in modern diagnostic tools, water extraction methodology, and drying equipment, and we are prepared to assist you with the very best, and most thorough, of services in your time of need. Insurcomm is affiliated with many of the leading water damage organizations, including – the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Verification (IICRC).
Insurcomm cleans up the area serving all of New England. To learn more visit Insurcomm’s water damage cleanup and repair website.