It’s not necessary that only floods and rainfall can damage your home but there are also less obvious ways such as water leaks, ice dams on the roof, accumulation of water in the basement and leaky appliances which use water such as dishwashers etc. Even small amounts of water can damage your home in a variety of ways, so it bodes well for home owners to recognize early signs of water damage before it gets out of hand.
The three most common signs of water damage are water stains, mold formation and foul odor, and most experts require you to constantly check your house for such signs, long before it begins to destroy your property that has been purchased by hard-earned money. Apart from looking for signs, a smart way to go about this is to turn off all your water sources, and check your water meter readings.
Here are some areas of the house that one must look in for signs mentioned earlier to locate water damage:
1) Basement and crawl space for these signs
2) Wooden floors, doors, windows and inside walls
3) Carpets
4) Appliances that use water such as dishwashers and washing machines
5) Cabinets
6) Drywall
7) Ceiling
8) Gutters which could indicate a water leak
Please remember that if you cannot locate a water leak then contact a professional at the earliest because if ignored, this can have far-reaching effects in the future. If the leak is minor then you can attempt to fix it yourself but otherwise expert help is advised.