Spring cleaning is a great opportunity for early detection of water damage. Inspecting your home for water damage is a must have priority on your spring cleaning to-do list. Water damage from broken pipes and toilet overflows are more obvious, but the effects of winter water damage can be less obvious and possibly more devastating. We've put together a list of possible signs to look out for during your routine spring cleaning.
Signs of Water Damage
1.) Unexplained ceiling stains. If you can’t wipe ceiling stains away, there might be another explanation: migrating water leakage.
Possible Explanation #1: If a second-floor bathroom is situated approximately above first-floor ceiling stains, one likely suspect is the shower stall. Leaky connections to the water control valve recessed inside the bathroom wall may be at fault. Leakage from the shower drain pan sealed underneath the stall is another possibility.
Possible Explanation #2: A leaky roof is also a possibility. Water flows to it's lowest point often masking the source of the leak. A moisture meter is one of the tools that can be used to pinpoint the source of the water leak. A quick check of the attic during your spring cleaning can help identify water damage, too.
2.) Moisture under / behind appliances. Hidden appliance leaks can really add up over time. Fortunately, enthusiastic spring cleaning takes you to places you wouldn't normally see.
Tip #1: Be sure to remove the kick plate on the front of the dishwasher and inspect underneath the dishwasher with a flashlight. Slow drips from a leaky dishwasher drain hose or defective pump may be rotting wood flooring beneath the unit without any external signs of water damage...this is more common than you think.
Tip #2: In the laundry room, check washing machine supply hoses and connections. Any drips or evidence of seepage is not just evidence of unseen water damage to the wall and floor behind the washer, it could also be a warning sign of an impending hose rupture that could cause catastrophic indoor flooding to the house.
3.) Persistent odors. Opening the windows and airing out the house is just one part of the act of spring cleaning.
Possible Explanation #1: If you started noticing a musty smell, it could be a sign of mold created by hidden water damage in the house. In fact, mold is often unavoidable since its growth comes so easily. All it takes is a little moisture and a small amount of time, and then – voila! – you have yourself a mold problem.
Must do Action: If musty odors don't go away, avoid the temptation to mask the odor with fragrances. Musty, moldy odors that don’t easily dissipate is a red flag to have the house inspected for presence of active mold growth as well as the hidden water leakage or moisture that feeds it.
Ignoring small problems today can mean that you end up spending a lot of money and dealing with tons of stress tomorrow. Fortunately, Clean Indeed offers free water damage inspections. And, of course, if you have any water damage, and need a hand cleaning it up, we're here to help. We are available 24/7 for emergency water damage services and can help with any water damage restoration needs you may discover during your spring cleaning.
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