Hidden Places Homeowners May Find Water Damage | SERVPRO® of Alamo Heights

9/30/2019 (Permalink)

Not only can water damage be inconvenient, but it can also be unpredictable. While damage from flooding or storms is more obvious, water damage can be the result of many different things.

As a homeowner, the risks of water damage are high. The average cost of a water damage insurance claim is over $6,000, but often water damage will not be covered by insurance at all. That is why it is recommended that homeowners thoroughly check hidden places in the home that might harbor water damage.

Hidden Places Homeowners May Find Water Damage

• Beneath a window. Rain can easily seep through the window and wall, trickling in between the wood without notice. This can rot walls and lead to expensive repairs.

• Under siding. Leaky spots in the siding, normally found around the corners or anywhere else two panels meet, can allow water to leak in and damage the plywood underneath.

• The threshold of an exterior door. The metal door threshold is mounted on wood, which can eventually become waterlogged and swell with time.

• Under paint on exterior windowsills. If the outside of a windowsill has been painted many times, as is common on older homes, water can seep in between the paint and wood without being readily apparent.

• Under the dishwasher. Leaks can occur from the tub of the dishwasher or in the supply or drain lines, which can do serious damage to the subfloor before they are ever detected due to their hidden locale.

• Beside the bathtub or shower. New plumbing developments have reduced the risk of leaks in water lines, but there is always a chance one will occur within the home’s walls.

• Under an unsteady toilet. If a seal within the toilet has become worn, water can begin to leak onto the wood underneath. Often the first indication of this is the toilet wobbling because the floor has become unsteady.