How to check a house for water damage

2/15/2019 (Permalink)

When should you check your home for water damage? The first time you should check a home for damage is when you are buying it. You never want to get into a home after spending unthinkable amounts of money and find out that you have to replace several things or see that you have a leak someone. Ideally the inspector should point these things out, however, they do not always catch everything.   The first step and place you want to check will be the walls. Make sure there is no staining, bubbles, or rust from possible water damage. These will be the signs. Moving down you want to check the floors for damage. You will be able to see discoloration, warping or bubbling, similar to the walls. The floors may have a been damaged previously or may still have water underneath them.  Check the pipes. The easiest way to look is under sinks, in the garage, and around the wash room. These are the most common places for leaks to occur.  Here in Florida it is rare that we have basements, however that would need to be checked as well.  We do however have the majority of our storage space in our attics. It is important to go up there once during the day and once at night to see if there are any exposed areas that may have a roof leak or leak of any other type.  Finally go outside and check to see if there are any holes, or cracks in the exterior. Cracks in the stucco are a common problem in Florida due to the humidity, wear and tear, and heat combination.