Recognizing Signs of Water Damage In Your Home To Prevent Cleanup

We’ve all heard the popular adage, “April showers bring May flowers.” While I understand and appreciate the sentiment, after dealing with a soggy carpet problem in my own home this spring each time it rains, I’d like to amend it slightly, to say, “April showers bring May flowers, and water damage.” With the weather getting warmer, snow from the mountains melting, and having more rain, this time of year can be killer for water damage. Here are a few tips and tricks for the Missoula homeowner on how to recognize signs of water damage in your home, so you can get someone out to help with it right away, minimizing the associated damages and cost. These can also be helpful to look for if you’re interested in purchasing a home. 

Water Damage Cleanup In Missoula

1. Look for water damage outside. Walk around the house and make sure that downspouts point away from the sides of your home. Gutters should be intact and have no visible holes or missing spots. Taking care of your drainage system is an investment to prevent water damage. A decaying gutter is a likely culprit for water damage, so update pipes and gutters that are on their “last legs.” If your home isn’t at a high point on your property, you may have water that seeps into the ground and can harm your foundation. 
2. Inside evidence of water damage. Inside your home, water rings on your ceiling or walls can indicate internal water damage from a pipe, or leak. Sagging spots could occur as a result of rainwater leaking in, or a bathtub that is leaking. Look for warping floors or walls. It can be helpful to look in and smell cabinets and under sinks, in crawl spaces, and carpeted areas. Evidence of water damage, if found, should be examined by a professional. 
3. Appliances and hoses. Look for brittleness, rust, musty smells, discoloration, or bulging on your hoses and appliances. Many appliances have certain parts that should be replaced regularly to prevent failure due to water damage. Read your manuals for appliances when you get new ones, and pay attention to anything that doesn’t look right over time. 
4. Water bill patterns. Make a record each month of how much your water bill is. If you notice unexplainable increases, it could be that you have a leaky pipe in your home, which is costing you money on your water, and also secretly damaging your home. Talk about double trouble! 
5. Weather patterns. At the beginning of this post, I mentioned that I had a spot in my carpet that would always be wet (inside) when it rained (outside.) Particularly wet spells in local weather can invite water damage into your home, making existing problems evident at last, and cleanup issues become apparent as well. Assess your home when your area experiences rainy spells to make sure everything is in good shape.

Having the foresight to pay attention and recognize the small signs of water damage in your home is an investment. Regular maintenance by professionals when you first see signs of water damage can prevent water damage cleanup emergencies later. For the big or the little water damage jobs in the Missoula area, Five Valleys Restoration is a great resource for homeowners.