Causes of Home Water Damage

11/2/2021 (Permalink)

Severe weather

Strong winds and heavy downpours could damage your roof, sending a certain amount of rainwater straight down into your house or business. Worse, severe weather can sometimes lead to flash flooding, especially when your property is in a flood-prone area.

Clogged gutters

Your home’s gutter system is supposed to draw rainwater away from your house. However, gutters often get blocked by leaves, branches, and other types of debris over time.

Leaking pipes

A loose-fitting pipe in the kitchen sink could leak enough water to damage the cabinet underneath it. A broken pipe inside walls could make things even more complicated. Worse yet would be a leaking plumbing supply line or a drainage pipe in the soil underneath your concrete slab. When this happens, you’ll likely face costly repairs.

Washing machines

Your washing machine is fed by water supply lines that are under constant pressure. If your lines are made from braided stainless steel, then you have nothing to worry about. The problem will be if your washing machine has rubber or PVC supply lines.

AC Condensation

Your air conditioning unit produces condensation, with the moisture dripping from the unit’s evaporator coil into a drain pan and out of your property through a condensate drain line. This drainage system works until the drain pan is damaged, or the condensate drain line is clogged with dust or dirt.

With the water unable to get out, it will leak from your AC straight into your home.

Blocked drains

The drains in your kitchen sink, bathroom floor, and your bathtub clog up for any number of reasons. When not dealt with immediately, clogged drains can easily back up and eventually cause flooding and water damage inside your property.

Sprinkler systems

Once activated during a fire, a sprinkler system will no doubt save your property and even your life. The problem is, there have been incidents where older sprinkler systems have turned themselves on even when there isn’t the slightest indication of a fire.

Water heaters

If you have an old water heater, then the likelihood that it’ll eventually spring a leak is high. When a water heater leaks, you can expect your basement, where it’s presumably located, to be flooded quickly.