Floods caused by heavy rain, inadequate drainage, a broken pipe or sump pump are obvious sources of water damage. However, any form of continuous moisture in the home can also be the cause of major and long-term water damage if not addressed immediately.

Water is everywhere

Externally, your home is exposed to a continuous onslaught of moisture from rain, to snow, to ice. The roofs, walls, windows and grouts are all subject to the weather. Even the ground surrounding your home can lead moisture to the house's foundation.

Internally, within the walls and ceilings of your home, lies a complex plumbing network and drainage system that runs water from the kitchen to the bathrooms and down to the basement. Under the basement lies the sump pit, where rain flow caught by grouts and house drainage are channeled. If these home fixtures that come in contact with moisture are not properly maintained, all are potential sources of water damage.

Moisture leads to problems

Though continuous exposure to moisture might not sweep your house and its insides away, the dampened areas will likely lead to other problems like rotting, termites, and mold infestation, all of which contribute to the weakening of your home's structure. Unfortunately, it might not be too obvious until it's too late.

See the signs

Be observant. It might take a while to train your eyes (and mind) to not ignore signs of moisture build-up, but persistent maintenance of your home is the key to preventing water damage.

Signs to look out for are drips, leaks, moist surfaces like moist walls, ceilings, and floors, water stains, molds and mildew, and even the sound of dripping or gushing within your walls. Most of us are used to seeing molds under the sink, or listening to a dripping shower, but again, teach yourself to know that this is not the way it should be. Your home should be a dry, well-ventilated living space with no room for unintended moisture.

Areas prone to moisture

The areas of a home where moisture usually builds-up are the high traffic water areas such as under the kitchen sink or dishwasher, around the kitchen sink, the bathroom sinks, toilets and bathtubs, the washing machine pipes, under the washing machine, and the grouts. These are areas which most people are familiar with and associate with water flow.

The not so obvious areas are loosened shingles on the roof, breaks in the window seals, pinhole leaks behind walls and in the ceiling, cracks in the bathroom tiles or loosened bathroom tiles, the water heater, the sump pump, behind your refrigerator, under your stove, and even ground reformation that leads rain water towards instead of from the home.

Again, water damage prevention relies heavily on the power of observation and the ability to act quickly on these observations once maintenance is known to be needed. Flood aside, if regular repair and maintenance is performed, the results should lead to the notable and rewarding longevity of your home.