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Healthy Homes: Conducting Water Damage Restoration
Jennie Baker was surprised at the assessment made by a water damage restoration expert about her home. The expert found that her roof and a huge section of her walls are literally falling apart! Rainwater has corroded the surface and has made her home a serious safety hazard. And this damage has been steadily going on for years and she didn't even know it!
A lot of people are like Jennie. They think that water damage restoration is only a concern if your house has come face-to-face with disaster-magnitude flooding. Unless a hurricane came or a dam burst, there is really no need to call the pros. But the reality is that our homes face water damage everyday. And while water damage can have a subtle onset, the long-term impact of the damage can be colossal.
Roofs are especially sensitive to water damage, as they are our first protection from rain and humidity. But given their location, and the inconvenience and risk of having to climb up to check our roofs, they are the last places one inspects. One must make it a habit to check if their roofs are candidates for water damage restoration.
At least bi-annually, conduct a thorough visual inspection of your roof for small cracks, holes and fractures. Even if it's a small damage, water pressure can gradually and steadily rip the damage further, resulting in extensive damage. Seal immediately all cracks that you can find. Your local hardware store can give you the recommendations for which sealants go best with what material.
Early water damage restoration in your roofs is cheap in the long run; leaking roofs usually lead to further water damage. If the roof meets its breaking point, which it typically does during seasons of heavy rainfall, then you may end up with a flooded home and more stuff that needs water damage restoration.
If your roof rests on a wooden surface, or is supported by wooden boards, check if water can get into the wood. The roof may look dry and clean on the surface but if you crack it open, water may have collected inside. Ideally, your wood support should be insulated from the water. If it is not, build an insulator right away and replace all damaged wood.
Follow through your rain gutters and where they lead. Sometimes it is not the roof that is damaged but the gutters themselves and the walls where the gutter pipes lean on. Rust can be a culprit for water damage restoration. Aluminum gutter pipes, if not cleaned regularly, or have clogged areas, can be hotbeds for rusts. Check also for the growth of mold and mildew in the walls near the gutter pipes. Remove them immediately if found and disinfect the area.
Be sensitive to changes in your home, especially during colder weather. Are there cracks in the home that weren't there before? They might possibly be cause by moisture seeping in the walls which later expands, especially in the summer. Is it getting draftier inside your home, there may be a leak there that you haven't seen. To be really sure, it is best to have a regular appointment with a water damage restoration expert. They can spot things most average Joes and Janes take for granted.
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