The Hidden Dangers of Water Damage: Why Immediate Restoration is Crucial

9/17/2024 (Permalink)

The Hidden Dangers of Water Damage

Water damage can be unexpected and stressful for any typical person to handle. Natural disasters, bursting or leaking pipes, faulty water heaters, and even broken domestic appliances can result in an emergency within your property. Due to its position, Martin County is at particular risk of floods and tropical storms, thus making having a water damage restoration company number at hand significant to any resident. 

The damage caused to your property after a water emergency can be highly destructive if not addressed promptly. They can increase the health risks of mold infections and devalue your property’s market value. 

Some of the most common dangers of water damage are weakened internal structures, stained walls and floors, and mold growth. However, other essential damages are less discussed but equally important to address as they can significantly impact your health and safety.

Five hidden risks of water damages

It leads to additional damages.

When this type of damage is not addressed on time, it can erode the quality of your property’s pipes and generate more damage due to leaks and floods caused by broken pipes. This may occur because commercial and residential pipes are not designed to handle water overflows, especially when they are gray or black water, which can degrade the pipe’s quality and result in leaks or bursts.

Is a hazard to your health

On top of the health risk that comes with mold and mildew growth caused by a water emergency, exposure to contaminated waters is just as toxic as exposure to mold. Of course,  the level of risk depends on the flood sources, as water coming from a bathtub or sink is not as contaminated as water from a sewer line or washer machine since these waters usually contain chemicals hazardous to human health. Black waters coming from polluted sources contain several diseases, viruses, and bacteria like hepatitis, cholera, and typhoid, which can affect your health in severe ways. 

Since exposure to contaminated waters can be hazardous, the water damage cleanup should be done by professionals with the required equipment to protect themselves and others while extracting the water from the building. 

It promotes pest infections.

Several bugs, such as cockroaches and bettles, can quickly infest your property if water damages are not promptly corrected, as damp structures provide an ideal habitat for the bugs. They’re not only annoying creatures to deal with but can also steal and infect any exposed food, leave messes on your house, and even carry some sicknesses. That’s why it is crucial to contact an exterminator and a water damage company to do the necessary repairs and ensure the pests don’t return to your property. 

It can lead to fire emergencies.

Water damage leading to fires is more common than most people think. A leak interacting with your property’s electrical system can damage the circuits and result in a residential fire, and soaked electrical wires can cause shock and burst, posing a risk to your and your loved ones' safety. Even when water doesn’t directly interact with any electrical system, untreated damage can impact your walls and floors and shift towards an area with significant electrical risk. 

Since water damage can often result in fires, which cause another type of damage to your property, it would be best to work with a company that offers professional fire and water damage restoration services. Expert technicians understand the requirements and differences of each type of damage depending on the source and will treat it accordingly to ensure your house’s safety. 

It directly affects your property’s air quality.

The mold caused may get sucked into your air ducts, allowing the toxic residues to move through the building and decreasing the air quality. High humidity in indoor spaces can also impact your house's air quality, allowing common allergens and irritant substances to grow and fill the air.  Poor air quality can affect your general health and put people with respiratory issues at a greater risk. 

As seen, water damage in your house or commercial building comes with several dangers that affect your health and your property’s safety and integrity. Water damage should be repaired immediately after the emergency has been addressed and everyone's safety is secured. Since water emergencies can be massively destructive, you should contact a specialized company to handle the immediate restoration of your property.

Common signs of water damage on your property 

When the harm is caused by a natural disaster like a flood, a tropical storm, or a hurricane, it is evident that you will need to repair your property and belongings before being able to habit your home again. Still, sometimes, these damages happen due to unnoticeable issues such as roof issues, inefficient sump pumps or sprinkle systems, or leaking pipes. Despite being less traumatic than a natural disaster, these damages can affect your property and health equally severely.

Because of that, you must be aware of the following signs to determine if you should have your property inspected by a professional and prevent any further issues by performing the water damage restoration needed:

• Cracks on ceilings, walls, and floors. Notice that, even if floor cracks can be normal wear and tear of your house due to time, large cracks on floors may indicate an underlying problem with the foundations. 
• Peeling or bubbling paint on your walls.
• Warped or swollen materials.
• Water stains.
• Musty odors.
• Swagged or soft spots.
• Water puddles without explanation.
• Mold or mildew.

The importance of immediate restoration done by professionals

Ignoring or neglecting water damage repairs can result in severe structural damage to your property, compromising the safety of your home and leading to further emergencies such as walls, ceilings, or even floor collapses. Additionally, structural damages devalue your property value in the market as most buyers would reject a building with expensive repairs and prefer a property with minimal to low-significant repairs. 

You may also have problems with insurance after an emergency if you don’t address the damage as soon as possible. If you’re wondering does homeowner insurance covers water damage and are considering filing a claim to repair it, you must be aware that homeowner insurance usually only covers damages that happen suddenly or accidentally and doesn’t cover damages caused by negligence or lack of reparation. 

Most insurance companies have fixed periods for users to file claims to request coverage, and passing these periods may result in claim rejections. Water damages repeatedly made it to the top common reasons for filing a home insurance claim, so you should quickly attend to any harm to your property after experiencing a water emergency to ensure the insurance claim goes as smoothly as possible and increase the chance of it being accepted.

Ultimately, leaving any water damages unchecked on your property can result in your home or local being completely inhabitable, as these damages end up rusting pipers, ruining electrical systems, harming concrete, and rotting wooden structures such as beams and doors. Although a flood or leak can be distressing to anyone, most of the time, the issues caused by water emergencies are fixable and can be salvaged when timely repairs are done. 

Understanding the importance of timely water damage repairs, SERVPRO® proudly serves all Martin County residents 24 hours a day. With our emergency service always available, we can provide immediate water damage restoration, whether you suffered a flood after a brutal storm on a Sunday night or if your dishwasher faucet suddenly broke after lunch. If you ever face a water emergency and are wondering how to continue, call us and let our expert technicians accompany you through this stressful event. 

Why should it be done by professionals?

Professionals should handle the damage restoration to ensure your property is restored to its original condition and doesn't pose a significant risk to human health. Their expertise and training allow them to accurately assess the impact of the damage after the emergency, recognize all potential issues that may arise in the future, and execute the most suitable restoration techniques. 

Besides providing an experienced service, professionals also offer you a comprehensive suite of services to ensure the water damage restoration is adequately done. Addressing this type of damage is more than mopping and drying ponded water, as the restoration process usually includes water extraction, drying, dehumidification of the affected areas, mold reparations, and, finally, the build repairs.  When an expert approaches the damage holistically, it can decrease secondary damages on your property due to incorrectly handled water damages.

When it comes to equipment, damage restoration professionals have access to industry-grade devices, such as dehumidifiers and thermal imaging cameras, that detect non-visible humidity in every wall, ceiling, or floor in your property and remarkably enhance the accuracy of the damage assessment, thus increasing the efficiency and speed of your house restoration. 

Overall, having a professional team handle the immediate restoration needed after a water emergency will ensure your property is back on its feet and may save you time, frustrating situations, and money in the long run. When you allow the experts to assist you with water damage cleanup and repairs, you can be assured you can return to using your property without worrying about your and your loved ones' safety. 

Find out how the #1 choice in Cleanup and Restoration Company can help you face water damage.

Whether you experience a basement flood or are just dealing with a leak and its associated damages, assessing the actual impact of the damage and then repairing it can be exhaustive. That’s why SERVPRO of Martin County offers a comprehensive restoration process to ensure that highly trained professionals take care of every step without the need to contact and deal with multiple contractors and budgets. This holistic approach makes the process easier to navigate and a cost-effective choice, ensuring continuity and effectiveness with the same company.

With us, you can be assured that we can manage the whole process, from the damage assessment and initial mitigation to the restoration of every affected area. Besides having the much-needed expertise, our technicians are 100% customer-focused. They will determine the water damage caused and explain the damage extension and the detailed restoration process to guarantee you make an informed decision when proceeding with the job. To make your experience as satisfactory as possible, our dedicated team will document the entire restoration and support you during the insurance claim process. 

SERVPRO of Martin County proudly supports home and business owners whenever they face a water emergency or a leaking pipe or faucet. If you’re searching for water damage repair near me on your browser, think of us! Our technicians can expertly handle water extraction and drying and restore your property to its preloss condition, focusing on repairing all salvageable belongings and ensuring no damage to your property’s structure is left unaddressed. 

If you need water damage restoration services, even if all you see is a leak in your ceiling, don’t hesitate to contact us at (772) 232-5397 any time of the day. We are ready to inspect the damage to your property and provide you with the most professional and suitable solution to repair it.