Flooding usually gets all the attention when it come to the thoughts of damages done to home from water. However the damages from small leaks can itself be huge if not caught and corrected. This information can save you thousands of dollars. We recommend that home owners inspect their own homes annually and have their homes inspected by a home inspection company every 3 years looking for moisture issues.
Every home has a water heater of some type. It is estimated that 5 to 7 million water heaters fail ever year, and all failures have possibility of causing water damage. The average cost for repairs after a water heater fails can exceed $20,000 according to the Insurance Information Institute. Home owners can spot early signs of water heater failure quickly and easily. With the large potential for damage this should be inspected often by the home owner.
Other areas of moisture issues are harder to see and home owners are recommended to have a home inspection company conduct a moisture inspection on the home. This is slightly different than the whole home inspection that is often done when buying the home. A moisture inspection focuses only on moisture related areas. Moisture is a necessary ingredient for mold issues. Often moisture inspections are done along with testing for molds if suspicious growth is found during the moisture inspection. If suspicious growth is observed then the home owner can decide to have the inspection company take a swab sample and air samples for mold analysis by a lab.
A moisture inspection is more than looking for leaking pipes and drains. Exterior situations that can lead to moisture intrusion are looked for as well as proper ventilation for attics, attic spaces, crawl spaces and roofs are looked at as well. Moisture problems in many spaces can go unseen for years. This delay is identification increases the difficulty and the cost in correcting these issues.
Moisture meters and humidity levels in the home can be measured and utilized as well to help determine issues and potential causes. If conditions and situations present themselves thermal imaging cameras can also be used as well to help determine moisture issues.
Molds are present in every home and in the fresh exterior air. If a mold spore is present on a food source such as drywall, wood trim, wood or even on dust it will not necessarily grow to a problem level. If that same spore and location were to have moisture added, now you have conditions where molds can grow and become an issue.
To prevent water damage and moisture related issues such as mold growth it is recommended that all home be check often for water leaks. Home owner should often monitor their homes and hire a home inspection company to do a more thorough moisture inspection every few years to help protect the home and the health of the family.