How to Check for Hidden Water Damage- Bradley County

6/21/2019 (Permalink)

Most water damage looks like wet floors or water dripping from the ceiling, but some water damage is harder to spot. Here are a few signs that you can check for to see if there may be unnoticed water damage:

Check under the floors:

Check your floors for any warping, buckling, or discoloration. Water may not be pooling on top of the flooring, but it could be affecting the subfloor. These can be signs of the presence of water or excess moisture between the flooring and the subfloor, or possibly in the subfloor.

Check behind the walls:

A few indicators that water may be behind your walls are discoloration, staining, and peeling/bubbly paint. If the water damage is significant, you might be able to touch the walls to see if they are buckling and soft. These signs may be from a small water leak over time that has affected the drywall. Even if the drywall does not feel wet, there could be unseen moisture behind it. 

Check unlikely locations: 

Be sure to use these techniques to check the basement, attic, and crawlspace. These are places that water damage can occur unbeknownst to the homeowner. After a certain amount of time, mold will grow in these water-damaged, warm, damp places.  

If you smell musty odor or if you can see any mold growth, these are also clear indicators that there may be water or moisture where it shouldn’t be.

If you do suspect unseen water damage in your home, our staff has the knowledge and equipment to identify and mitigate the damage. Give us a call at (423) 614-5552.