How Can I Identify Water Damage Before Buying a Home in Goulding?

4/7/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Can Repair Water Damage to Walls in Your Goulding Home

Here are a few tips from SERVPRO of West Pensacola

Buying a home can be both one of the most exciting things you do in your life and an activity that frustrates you beyond all belief. This is because there is a big difference between a high-quality home, a slight fixer-upper, and a money-pit that's going to need a lot of work. The most major issues aren't the aesthetics of your home because you can always paint and touch up the property to make it look nicer. There are several deal-breakers that you should consider before you sink a lot of money into an investment that you'll keep for years to come. 

How to Inspect For Water Damage 

When you're looking for water damage in Goulding, you need to make sure that you're bringing the right tools along with you. Don't expect to solve the problem without a flashlight, a level, marble, and some binoculars. You might also want a Carpenter's Square, some comfortable shoes, and a no-nonsense attitude to ensure you catch possible damages. 

How to Identify Obvious Water Damage Areas 

One of the easiest ways to check how well a home has been maintained is just to check out the house from a distance. SERVPRO suggests looking for sagging in the roof (compared to your neighbor), the door, windows, foundation, and other aspects of the home for crooked features. What this means is that there's water damage below the siding and roofing that you can't see. Most of the time it's because the roof, walls, and foundation are dealing with the weight associated with excess water or some structural deficiency. 

Feel around for slopes in the floors, and make sure the doors line up perfectly. Set your marble on any hardwood or linoleum floor, and put your level on carpeted areas to see how level they are. Check the windows to make sure they aren't stuck, and look for any signs of water that might have made it in through the bathroom and kitchen. Always inspect the basement too, looking for a sump pump. 

Look for Water Damage on Walls

Water does not mix well with plaster or drywall. If it gets into your walls, it promotes mold growth, causing the framing to split and swell, plus weaken the structural integrity of your home in Goulding. Even if you are only seeing minor bubbling, spots, or peeling, act right away to stop the problem before it gets bigger.

Drywall Cannot Always Be Repaired

No wall in your home is safe from water damage. Drywall is at the risk of weakening or even collapsing. Drywall cannot always be repaired, so it may need replacing. When severe damage has been sustained, the structure around the drywall can also be affected, resulting in more repairs. As soon as you see an issue, do not hesitate to get in touch with our technicians at SERVPRO. We move fast to find the issue and repair it to avoid additional damage.

Look For Signs of DIY

Many people surprisingly only put a DIY patch over drywall with water damage and hope for the best. However, you always need to find the source of the leak in your Goulding home, and the best way to do this is to call for the help of a water removal remediation company, such as SERVPRO. Fixing it correctly the first time saves you money down the road.

Plaster Can Also Be an Issue

Besides drywall, plaster walls are susceptible to water damage as well. It is not resistant to dampness and is affected easily. It can be easy to replace and remove, fortunately. Keeping a dehumidifier in your home helps to maintain conditions dry and avoid plaster walls from being damaged.

Brickwork Can Show Signs of Water Damage

The brickwork of your home also should be checked out when looking for signs of water damage. If it is not sealed correctly, the porous cement used can absorb extra water and start to crumble. If the brickwork of your home has been compromised, our staff must remove the water before we can repair the damage. We ensure your walls are properly dried out before repairing them, so no moisture is trapped inside.

SERVPRO of West Pensacola has the training and experience to properly remove any water in your walls and repair the issues. Residents of Perdido Key, Pensacola, and Goulding can reach us at any time by dialing (850) 469-1160.

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