What Can Unrepaired Water Damage do to Your House?

3/17/2021 (Permalink)

The paint on this kitchen ceiling started to peel as a result of water damage.

If your house is hit by a flood, burst pipe, clogged drain, or water overflow from clogged gutters, the water damage can range from a small leak to a true flood in your basement, laundry room, kitchen, or bathroom. For a flood, it seems obvious that the water damage needs to be repaired. However, if it’s a small leak, you might think you can just wipe up the water and that it will be fine. 

Here’s what you need to know about what the water damage from “just a small leak” could do to your house?

• Mold damage. Any water residue that’s left behind after a water event can quickly become mold. 
• Ceiling damage. Did a pipe burst and water dripped into a downstairs room? Even when the pipe is fixed, the water can still affect the ceiling, causing mold inside the ceiling, bubbles to appear in the paint of the ceiling from where the water is trying to come through, or part of the ceiling to cave in due to the water damage. 
• Electrical damage. Just like water and oil don’t mix, water and electricity sure don’t mix. Instead, they can spark disaster if they come into contact with each other. If there’s water inside your walls, you won’t know what electric wires are nearby until you have a professional assessment.
• Wood and drywall damage. Just because you can’t see what’s happening inside your wall, that doesn’t mean the water damage hasn’t occurred. 
• Foundation damage. That leftover puddle in your basement isn’t just a pool for mosquitoes. Instead, it can also erode the concrete foundation of your home over time, slowly eating away at the floor and causing a hole or holes. These holes can impact the structural foundation of your house. 

Need some help with your water damage remediation in Massachusetts from a company you can trust? Contact our restoration experts at SERVPRO Stoneham/Wakefield for a water damage assessment. We have the technology to see water and water damage in your home that isn’t visible to your eye.