October 17, 2022

Basement Water Damage – What You Need to Know

To prevent water damage in your basement and the possible consequences, such as mold growth and structural problems to the property, it is essential to know how to recognize the signs that show up in cases of water damage to your basement or house foundation. It’ll also help you take the necessary actions to get it sorted out.
Read the following information regarding basement water damage, its adverse effects it may
have on your health and home, and what should be done when this situation arises.

Water Damage in your Basement
The first step in correcting any water damage is to recognize the causes that originate such damage and the signs that indicate its presence. You should discard the following causes:

• Wet drywall and carpet may indicate a basement water problem.
• Plumbing leaks from damaged or broken pipes or appliance malfunctions
• Water coming in from outside or seepage

Condensation
All the above are common causes of wet drywall and carpet in a basement. The more common signs of water damage to your basement drywall and carpet are:

• Yellowish-brown stains
• Mold stains
• Dampness
• Strong musty (moldy) odors

Mold-Related health conditions
Allergic reactions to mold can be immediate or delayed. Mold can also produce bronchitis spasmodic episodes in those patients with asthma who are allergic to it, as well as aggravate the condition of any patient with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Regardless of the allergic condition of the person, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs. The common symptoms of a mold-related condition are:

• Watery or Itchy Eyes
• Itchy, Runny, or Stuffy Nose
• Throat Itching or Coughing
• Postnasal Drip
• Dry Scaly Skin
• Mold-related COPD may include:
• Wheezing
• Tightening of the Chest
• Shortness of Breath
• Breathing Difficulties
• Coughing

STRUCTURAL WATER DAMAGE
Structural damage can present itself as a minor problem, even if it is not apparent. A door or window that doesn’t open easily could be indicating more severe, underlying damage. These hidden damages can cause irreversible, long-term issues to the structure of the house, compromising its safety and the health condition of the persons living in it. Here are listed more signs of structural damage to search for:

• Wet electrical outlets or circuits
• Rust growth in or seeping through fractures
• Flaws in the foundation
• Framing wood has cracks.
• Difficulty opening windows and doors
• Damage to or corrosion of gas lines, pipes, and wires

Damp insulation
This kind of structural damage to your home may have different causes but more likely they are the consequence of water damage. The water damage can compromise the foundation or any of the load-bearing walls resulting in severe structural damage to the property.
Tip: Doors and windows that cannot be opened or closed easily are strong signs of severe structural damage. A shifted door frame could be just an example of other shifting processes affecting the overall structure.

Water Damage – Home Value
Water damage may significantly reduce the value of your property. To prevent this from happening, some actions should be taken:
1. Identify the damage produced by the water
2. Hire a Contracting water damage restoration company
3. Promptly and thoroughly repair the water damage
Here there are some examples of water damage that can negatively affect your home’s value:

• Warped ceilings and walls
• Water-damaged carpeting and flooring
• Shifted walls
• Sunken or fractured foundation
• Mold growth

Note: When properties have water damage, mold can grow rampantly and spread into the structure of the property, causing health problems for the inhabitants, and structural and cosmetic damage to the property. When homeowners discover mold in their homes, it is advisable to hire a professional and experienced mold inspector to assess the situation and a mold remediation company to professionally address the problem.

Water Damage Structural Repair
Home structural damages should be addressed promptly to prevent more important consequences, far more difficult to deal with, and more expensive ones. The more important concept to be considered is that water damage never stops by itself, on the contrary, it gets worse. Whether caused by a water leak appliance malfunction, severe weather, or flood, you should hire a professional water restoration company to fully assess and then address the damage. MCKINLEY WATER DAMAGE RESTORATION experts are prepared to provide assessment in these situations. 

Even when your home’s water damage is minimal, the idea that you can fix it yourself is not actually a good one. Also, consider that water damage restoration experts are trained to detect even minimal issues in affected areas you may not even identify as such.
Risks associated with Water Damage
In addition to having a negative influence on your house value, neglecting water damage can cause serious problems for homeowners:
Health Problems: Mold presence caused by water damage to a home can bring health issues to every person who lives there. For instance, black mold has been related to respiratory problems, red and itchy eyes, and even skin rash. The treatment of such health conditions implies that these persons are not to be in contact with mold. So, mold has to be removed from the house before they may get back.

Electrical issues – Water damage can seriously harm your home’s electrical systems as well as all of the equipment and gadgets within. Damaged wiring can arc, short circuit, or result in hazardous electrical surges if left unattended.
Over time, more expensive repairs – Over time, water damage, when left unattended or untreated, only gets worse and more invasive. If water damage is ignored, the cost of the water damage restoration will only become much higher for the homeowner.

Water Damage in Your Basement
You learned in this article how water may harm your basement, the serious health issues it may bring on, the detrimental effects it has on the integrity of the structure and value of your house, and the measures you can take to sort your basement problem out.

The first step to fixing a water damage problem in your basement, protecting your family’s health, and the value of your house is realizing that it exists.
Ignoring a water-damaged basement can cause structural and foundational issues for your home as well as the emergence of respiratory issues and other illnesses, potentially severe.