Water Damage to Houses

Interior Floors

• Water damage to flooring, including carpets and hardwoods, can occur from a loose hose attached to a washing machine, burst water pipes or a sewer backup. The key to minimizing damage to floors is to move as quickly as possible to remove the liquid. Hardwoods absorb water, causing them to swell and buckle, ruining the wood planks. If water seeps into the carpet pad, it becomes difficult to remove the moisture and may lead to mold development.

Home Foundation

• Rainwater that pools around the foundation of a house eventually corrodes the concrete, leaving crumbling cement blocks. The ground surrounding the home should slope moderately away from the foundation, allowing water to gently run off. Downspouts from roof gutters may also cause large pools as storm water creates dips in the soil below the spouts. Attaching extended gutters to the downspouts allows the water to run off away from the foundation.

Roof

• A leaking roof may result in wood rot and structural damage to sections of the home if not corrected immediately. As water seeps into the roof, it saturates wood trusses, resulting in softening and rotting of the timber. If not repaired, over time the leak may widen, ruining insulation and resulting in the development of mold. Fixing a leaking roof may only involve replacing a few shingles but, if left unfixed, can turn into a major repair job.

Removing Water

• Remove water as soon as you can to salvage furniture and flooring. Borrow or rent a wet/dry vacuum to remove water from carpets, vinyl flooring and hardwoods. Run the wet/dry vac until water stops lifting into the water tank. Open windows, turn on fans and remove furniture and rugs to lay in the sun to help them dry out completely. The sun not only helps to dry items, it also kills any fungus that may be attempting to form.