Potential Effects of Water Leaks on Building Materials

1/15/2019 (Permalink)

Ceiling damage due to a broken pipe in a Ross, OH home

A broken pipe in your home in Ross, OH, can cause significant water damage. This is particularly true if you don’t notice the problem when it first occurs or you don’t call for repairs right away. Signs of damage can include swelling wood, water stains and even mold. The longer the excess water is in contact with your house’s walls, support beams, flooring and ceiling materials, the more damage you are likely to see.

Choose Timeliness

If a supply line breaks, a lot of water will probably spill out and start pooling. It doesn’t take long for problems to manifest:

• The first few minutes - water can spread or cause rugs or other textiles to stain floors and walls
  
• The first few hours - wood frames and drywall start to absorb water and swell
  
• The first few days - clean water becomes gray water and may start to foster mold growth
  

As you can see, if you don’t get the problem resolved quickly, swelling wood is only one of the potential effects with which you may have to contend. The sooner water restoration specialists can assess and address the problem, the fewer problems you may end up having.

Minimize Risk

If the walls of your home are merely wet, avoiding additional damage may be as simple as drying them off. If your building materials have taken on water and started to expand, however, technicians must tear out the affected walls and beams and replace them with new, unblemished material. To minimize the risk of this happening, turn off the source of the water and hire someone to perform water pipe repair as soon as possible. Then you can focus on removing water and restoring your structure.

It doesn’t take long for a pipe or supply line break to result in swelling wood beams or saturated drywall. By addressing the leak quickly, you may be able to save your home from further damage.