Five Simple Ways To Detect Water Damage in Your Home

Being able to find water damage in your home is essential, especially as we approach the rainy season. We’ve outlined great ways for you to detect water damage in your home.

Owning a home means that there’s always something to maintain and keep an eye on. When it comes to water damage, it’s a major issue that requires immediate attention.

Five Ways To Detect Water Damage

#1 What’s That Smell?

If you notice that your home has a damp smell, it’s most likely due to water getting into your house somehow. Check your home entirely to see where the smell is the strongest and look for any additional signs of water damage in that area.

#2 A Higher Water Bill

If your water bill is higher than usual and your use is consistent, this could be an indication of a water issue. Inspect your home immediately to prevent water damage from occurring and to save money on your next bill.

#3 Discolouration

For ceiling water damage, you’ll notice water spots and stains that look yellow, brown or a copper colour. For walls, in addition to the staining, you may notice bubbling, cracking or peeling paint and wallpaper.

#4 Floor Texture Changes

Floors will often change colour when water damage is present, and you could also notice a change in textures. Some common changes in flooring are soft spots in hardwood floors due to rotten wood, expansion of laminate flooring that has expanded due to water absorption and warping causing gaps between floorboards or curling at the edges.

#5 Dripping Water Sounds

You may hear dripping or flowing water behind walls or below floors and this could be a sign that water is getting into your home. Contact a licenced plumber to inspect the areas where you hear the water so that the issue can be inspected.

This spring, stay alert for any of the above happening in your home, as it may mean you have water damage. It’s important to remedy the issues immediately to prevent worse damage from occuring. As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact your insurance broker.

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