Hidden Moisture could be causing property damage in your Santa Cruz Home

9/27/2019 (Permalink)

HIDDEN MOISTURE

Water damage is among the most common cause of residential property damage insurance claims in the area it can pose significant risks to Santa Cruz County homes and businesses. Some sources of water damage such as floods, burst pipes, and sewage backups are obvious and require emergency service right away. However, there are other “hidden water and moisture” sources of damage that can be difficult to detect and often lead to a considerable amount of property damage and an increased cost for cleanup, restoration and repairs.

One possible concern with hidden moisture or sustained water damage is an increase in the overall humidity of your home. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30 and 60 percent. If you are having trouble with high humidity in your Santa Cruz County residence, hidden moisture could be a concern. You may be able to detect high humidity by simply paying attention to potential problem areas in your home, damp basements, high traffic areas, bathrooms and kitchens with high humidity activities and poor circulation. Telltale signs of excessive humidity include condensation on windows, pipes, and walls. Over time hidden moisture can contribute to high humidity and during ideal conditions and can cause mold growth and other property concerns to erupt. The possible causes of water damage lurking in your home can originate from many different sources, with varying intensities, contamination levels, and scope of damage. Some of our largest property restoration projects start as small water leaks that cause serious structural and indoor air quality issues over time. There are many processes and techniques our crews can implement to successfully and thoroughly locate and address your high humidity and other hidden water damage concerns. Calling local SERVPRO professionals can help investigate the source behind your high humidity or hidden water damage concerns and inspect for any sign of visible mold or other secondary property damages.

How our SERVPRO restoration specialists find hidden water causing damage to your property and searching for the source of the moisture problem

Our SERVPRO professionals have IICRC certification and extensive training to handle all facets of water loss recovery in homes throughout our area, and our technicians also work to double check to ensure success during the restoration process. We use state of the art moisture monitoring and thermal imaging equipment to locate hidden water that could be lurking in your home following either an emergency or lingering water property disaster.

MOISTURE DETECTION DEVICES:
Our SERVPRO technicians use moisture detection devices, similar to a stud finder. These moisture readers can indicate the presence of moisture behind, ceilings, walls and floors. The devices that our team uses emit electromagnetic waves and measure the resistance in their return to determine moisture content in the affected materials. This sophisticated equipment can help us also to decide when a certain structural element could be too saturated or damaged to preserve.

THERMAL IMAGING EQUIPMENT:
Our SERVPRO professionals also use thermal imagery to indicate the presence of moisture pockets throughout affected and exposed areas of your property. Much of the damage in many water loss incidents can occur out of sight, so seeing a temperature array to detail the presence of moisture and dampness in challenging areas can help to determine the best points for installing drying equipment.

Is Hidden Moisture Causing High Humidity Concerns for Your Local Home or Business

Hidden moisture or water leaks are dangerous because they can cause serious issues like structural damage and mold growth before they are discovered. Excess water and moisture gets absorbed in wood, drywall, insulation, and furniture and can lead to warping, stains, bubbling, and structural deterioration.

Common signs of lingering or hidden water damage in your home:

Water spots or warping under sink cabinets

If you see water under the bathroom or kitchen sink it’s a warning sign that you have water damage and potential mold growth around the sink area. If the leak is bad enough, it could cause additional damage to the building structure, including the floor and walls, even if there’s no water present, water spots clearly indicate that pipes under the sink have a slow leak.

Ceiling or wall stains and bubbling

Ceiling and wall stains are obvious signs of a roof, appliance, or plumbing leak. When water saturates insulation and drywall, it can also lead to major water damage that can compromise the structural integrity of the property. Check your roof for damage, broken tiles or puddling. Also investigate appliances such as the washing machine, dishwasher and toilets for leaky spigots that could be dripping water and causing damage.

Squishy or Warping kitchen/bathroom floors or tile

Water damage is not always visible. In fact, it’s more common for damage to occur behind the floor, ceiling, and walls where you can’t see it. Since the bathroom is the most humid room in your home, it’s a common place for water damage and mold growth.

Moisture detection equipment can help our SERVPRO professionals to identify problem areas within your home that could be contributing to your home’s high humidity. Excessive moisture and high humidity can also cause mold to grow and spread in areas behind walls and ceilings where it is not easily detected. If water damage isn’t properly mitigated, mold and other secondary damages can begin to spread throughout your property in just a few days. That’s why it’s important to choose quality restoration professionals to dry and restore your property and take necessary steps to avoid further damages.

Ask About SERVPRO’s Visible Mold Inspection

The key to mold prevention is simple: moisture control and sufficient airflow. If you suspect your home is suffering from excessive high humidity, get in touch with our SERVPRO staff right away. Our Mold Remediation team can inspect your property for mold and water damage, locate the source of hidden moisture, and plan a mold removal and remediation process to get your home healthy and safe.

Signs of mold in your home are unpleasant odor, health issues or visual signs of mold growth.

In fact, mold sensitive individuals may experience unpleasant symptoms such as:

• Respiratory issues
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Throat irritation.
• Skin irritation.

If our technicians do discover mold during the inspection and mitigation process, they will evaluate the mold growth and contain any damage to the smallest area possible. They will then physically remove the mold and thoroughly dry any contaminated areas to ensure that the mold does not return.

When your home or business experiences a water disaster issue, or you suspect that high humidity maybe a problem, call our trusted local SERVPRO of Santa Cruz Service Specialists. Our sophisticated tools can make it easy to determine the presence of hidden moisture and dampness in your home. Waiting too long to choose a professional cleanup and recovery service can be a costly and hazardous mistake. We closely monitor and document all our cleanup, mitigation and remediation steps and make sure your moisture problem is taken care of correctly. To schedule an inspection give our SERVPRO of Santa Cruz team a call 24/7 at (831) 457-1997.