Long-Term Effects of Untreated Water Damage

12/4/2024 (Permalink)

Water damage in the wall

Long-Term Effects of Untreated Water Damage

Although water is an essential part of life, it also has the potential to cause harm. Nowhere is this more true than when water invades your home or business. Whether due to flooding, a leak, a major spill, or another water disaster, water damage can cause all kinds of short-term problems, but the long-term effects of untreated water damage can cause harm.

Before you ignore that dripping faucet in the bathroom or leaky pipe under your home, consider the following potential consequences of long-term water damage:

Wood Rot

Wood is used worldwide in the construction industry. While it is a great building material for homes and businesses, it is susceptible to rot when exposed to sustained moisture. Wood's porous nature means it absorbs water like a sponge, and even treated wood can be at risk when exposed to enough water over time.

As wood becomes saturated with moisture, it loses hardness and becomes pliable. When this occurs, the wood structure breaks down, leading to wood rot. This rotting effect causes water-damaged wood to fall apart over time, often leading to the next biggest long-term effect of untreated water damage: structural instability.

Structural Instability

Structural instability caused by moisture damage and wood rot can be a serious concern, both for your property and your safety. To make matters worse, you must repair this damage and mitigate the problem if you plan to sell your property. Potential buyers are likely to shy away from a property with known water damage or ongoing problems with water mitigation.

The insidious thing about moisture damage and structural integrity is that this damage can create a domino effect. As structural pieces of a home begin to weaken, they can shift and place weight on parts of the structure not designed to hold.

For example, if your flooring has moisture damage and begins to buckle, the foundation of your walls can shift. When this happens, the foundation for your roof can shift. As the weight of the various parts of a structure begins to jostle, this shifting weight can upend the structural integrity of parts of a home or business that never even experienced water damage directly.

Mold Growth

Even if you don’t experience wood rot that leads to structural instability, mold growth is another one of the major long-term effects of untreated water damage. This is especially true if you have people in your home who have compromised immune systems or respiratory issues.

Although not all mold is dangerous, even a little can cause allergic reactions. As mold grows and spreads in moist, dark environments, it can take over interior spaces and lead to more serious health problems. So-called “black mold” is often cited as a serious concern, but for most people, black mold will not cause any greater harm than any other type of mold. For people with severe allergies, however, black mold can cause serious illness.

While some water damage is easy to see, mold can grow silently in cracks and crevices, inside porous materials, under flooring, behind walls, and elsewhere. This means that even if you clean up surface mold, you may still have a problem on your hands. To complicate things further, individual mold spores are microscopic, so you can still have mold spreading throughout your home after water damage, even if you’ve cleaned surfaces with visible mold.

Insects and Vermin

Moisture is also a primary driver of insects and vermin. Just like humans, bugs and pests need water to survive. The difference is that people use the sink or visit the grocery store for water. Bugs, on the other hand, invade spaces where water is found. If this is your home or business, guess what? You may have an infestation on your hands, including termites!

Unfortunately, it may not be obvious initially, like mold, bugs, and vermin. Insects, mice, and more can squeeze through cracks and build nests in hidden places. While you think you’ve cleaned up water after a pipe burst, you may have a colony of bugs living beneath your floorboards, feeding off of leftover moisture in your wood.

In addition to being unsightly and uninvited, bugs and vermin can pose a health hazard to you and your loved ones. Health issues arising from insect and vermin infestations can range from mild to severe, and once pests make your home their own, they can be tough to get rid of.

Potential Future Damage

Lastly, future damage to your home or business may be risky due to water damage. Electronics and electrical systems that come into contact with water may not seem damaged at first glance, but water may corrode and weaken internal electrical connections. As water and electricity do not mix, a damaged electrical system may cause an electric shock or fire.

How to Prevent Water Damage Around Your Home or Business

Although it may not be possible to prevent water damage in an emergency, there are some steps you can take to prevent and deal with damage caused by moisture. First, look for signs of water damage. These can include discolorations on walls and flooring or the smell of mold in the air around your home or business.

Next, excess water should be cleaned up as soon as possible after damage has occurred. Addressing water damage quickly often offers the best chance to resolve and mitigate damage fully. However, remember that hidden moisture may lurk within your walls, carpeting, or other flooring, crawlspaces, basements, and attics.

Because water damage isn’t always obvious, you’re encouraged to partner with a restoration expert who specializes in addressing water damage if you’ve experienced a leak or flooding incident. A professional water damage company can clean up messes left behind and restore your home or business to its original condition. Restoration specialists also typically check for hidden damage to offer additional security and peace of mind.

Contact the Water Damage Experts at SERVPRO of Arcadia for Fast Relief

SERVPRO® is the team to call when you need the experts in water damage restoration Arcadia trusts. Our team specializes in removing moisture and restoring your home or business to its original condition. Still, we also mitigate damage from the water you may not see, including behind walls, under flooring, and more.