Causes Of Water Damage On Your House And What To Do About It

At Matthews’ Painting, we come across many residential painting projects in Warsaw, Syracuse, and other Indiana cities that involve water damage. Water damage occurs when excess water begins to pool in areas where it should not. Repeated exposure to excess water, even without pooling, can also cause water damage.

Many cases of water damage require that you first address the root cause before applying any cosmetic interventions. For, instance, a quick home exterior paint job can cover up the signs of water damage on the siding. However, if you don’t identify and address the cause of water leakage, your paint job will sooner or later be ruined.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the common causes of water damage in homes, and how you can reverse the situation.

Causes of Water Damage

Leaking pipes

Leaking pipes might sound obvious, but if a hidden pipe running along your wood siding has a small leakage, you might not realize it until massive damage has happened. Drains and toilets that get backed up and blocked can cause undue pressure in the pipe, which then causes it to burst or leak. Malfunctioned garbage disposals and rust or old pipes can also cause leakage.

Plumbing issues that occur within the walls can also be impossible to detect, and many often happen because of pipes and hoses that are not correctly attached. Periodically inspecting your plumbing system and pipes can help you catch the water damage issues at a much earlier stage.

Malfunctioning Household Appliances

When your household appliances age, their hoses begin to weaken and crack, and their pipes rust. Water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerators are all prone to this kind of deterioration. So you need to keep an eye on your machines, especially the hot water tanks and washing machines.

HVACS

HVACs –heating, ventilating, and air conditioning units –also commonly cause water damage. Air conditioners, for instance, tend to build up moisture when not regularly serviced. Other than the water damage problem, when the moisture cools, it can encourage mold growth in the air conditioning ducts, which might extend to your siding.

Gutters

Gutters and downspouts are common culprits in causing water damage in many homes. Your gutters are generally designed to direct water away from you’re your roof and your house’s foundation. However, when gutters become blocked by debris or crack, they allow water to run down the side of your home, and into the foundation. Over time, this causes dirty water stains, wood rot, mildew growth, and even weakened the structural foundation. To avoid this, regularly clean your gutters and repair any cracks on the gutters and downspouts as they appear.

Leaky Roof

Leaking roofs are some of the most common causes of ceiling water damage. If you spot a water stain in your ceiling, it could be that one or a couple of shingles have been displaced or damaged. Whichever material used on your roof, have a professional roofer inspect and fix it if you suspect it’s the cause of leakage/water damage.

The Bottom Line

There’re many other causes of water damage, including floods, sudden storms, seepage from underground, or prolonged precipitation. Whichever the cause of water damage, always start by addressing the cause of water damage before proceeding with any cosmetic interventions such as repainting, re-staining, or caulking.

If you need any professional help repainting/re-staining your home siding, floor or ceiling, or repairing drywall after water damage, Matthews’ Painting assist. We have over 20 years of residential painting serving the areas of Warsaw, Syracuse, Leesburg, Lake Tippecanoe area, Goshen, Winona Lake area, Columbia City, Indiana, and surrounding Indiana cities. To get started with us, give us a call today on (574) 834-3575 to book our services or ask any questions.