What Signs Should I Look for to Find Hidden Water Damage in My North Syracuse House?
8/11/2020 (Permalink)
SERVPRO's Diligent Managers and Technicians Do Not Rest Until We Reveal, Release, and Dry Out Trapped Water Damage in North Syracuse.
Water emergencies with burst pipes and free-flowing over-filled tubs or sinks are not good news for North Syracuse homeowners. The abrupt onset of the issue, however, does make detection of the water source obvious, and a fast engagement of the shut-off valve halts the primary damage. Rapid recovery from the sudden disaster is possible because we can easily access and extract the water, and the structural materials are minimally saturated, drying quickly.
What Are the Challenges When the Leak or Breakdown and the Subsequent Damage Is Hidden?
A slow leak in a supply or waste pipe or a poorly caulked tub or shower can cause water damage in your North Syracuse home to build up over time. Water that drips persistently inside walls or sprays on a tiled shower enclosure with cracked grout or missing silicone eventually causes damage that you see, feel, or smell. What are examples of hidden water damage clues?
- Staining on walls or ceilings
- Peeling or blistering paint and loosening wallpaper
- Bulging areas on surfaces
- Shiny, "sweaty-looking" walls
- Loosening of crown molding, paneling, beadboard, or wainscoting
- Musty smells
- Visible mold or mildew
- Heightened humidity in a space
- Increase in your water bill unrelated to higher use
How Do Professionals Manage Hidden Water Damage?
SERVPRO technicians use water and moisture detection devices to outline the incursion. We devise a plan to carefully access and release the water, avoiding a collapse of the building materials surrounding the pooled moisture. Our technicians use controlled demolition strategies to slowly drain the water and provide access for the air movement during the structural drying that must follow. The demo techniques include:
- Weep holes for ceilings -- a few punched through near a wall and allowed to drain completely before the pattern repeats several times, closer each time to the center of the ceiling. This deliberate method minimizes the ceiling's chance of crashing down with the flow of too much water at a time.
- Drainage holes near or under the baseboard to release water from between walls
- Flood cuts to remove damaged wallboards and open the space between studs several inches above the waterline
SERVPRO of North Onondaga County has the experience and training to solve the hidden water mystery in your home. Call us at (315) 457-3432 to get the project rolling before the circumstance becomes too severe.
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