Imagine a lifeguard in your flooded basement shouting “Get out of the water! Extreme? There’s more. He’s shouting “Sharks in the water.” Okay, maybe we’re over the top with these images. But we’re just trying to get the message across that water damage can indeed have effects on your home that are as dangerous as sharks to your health and safety– and in the worst case, to your home’s survival.
Here are just a few of water’s undesirable effects on your home:
1. Rampant mold growth
If you’ve ever had a shot of penicillin, you’ve experienced the positive aspects of mold. It has a place in medicine and nature– where it breaks down dead stuff. (That’s our simple, scientific explanation.) But it should have no place in your home. It takes just 24 to 48 hours for water damage to turn to mold on items like clothing, carpeting, toys and drywall.
Mold doesn’t just damage things. It’s toxic. Breathing problems and allergic reactions can occur as a result of mold. These health problems are exasperated in asthmatic people or adults and children with existing health issues. A fast response to mold growth is essential– before it takes over your house. In extreme cases, homes have been condemned as a result of water and mold damage.
2. Black water blues
No water damage is good for your home’s structure and contents, but grey water and black water contamination is even worse for your home and family. Grey water is the water from home appliances and it might make you ill if you ingest it. Black water comes from extremely unsanitary sources that could contain human or animal waste.
All flood water from lakes and rivers should be considered black water, containing pathogens that could make you severely sick if you ingest it. Contracting tetanus is a real threat when cleaning up black water. Vaccinations are in order for anyone helping with restoration work under black water conditions. Restoring a home with black water contamination is especially difficult. You can count on losing your furnishings. You’ll also likely need to replace many of your home’s structural components.
3. Damaged Wiring and gas lines
Water and electricity don’t mix. That should go without saying, it’s but better to repeat it too often than to suffer the lethal consequences. So for your life’s sake, shut off both electricity and gas service if your home floods. When wiring and/or gas lines are water damaged, you may need to rewire and install new gas lines to get your home back up and running. This means more costs, more inconvenience, and extended homelessness.
4. Damaged appliances
Even a few inches of water can damage your appliances beyond repair. Having to replace your HVAC system alone is a huge setback to your finances and recovery efforts. Imagine the costs of having to also replace your water heater, washer, dryer, range, and other regularly-used appliances all at once. Water damage provides a stark reminder of just how many appliances you depend on.
5. Structural damage
Worst-case Scenarios:
- Wind and water shifting or warping your home’s struts and studs.
- Saturated earth pressing in on the foundation, causing it to crack.
- Tilting walls or a shifted roof leading to a collapse.
- Sagging ceilings and unsalvageable, moldy and soggy drywall
6. Your home could become permanently uninhabitable
There are some excellent professionals that can help you recover and repair your home from severe water damage, but in the end, your home may become uninhabitable after severe water damage. Restoration and remediation costs could exceed the cost to move. Such an emergency move has its own set of stresses. Ultimately, water could turn you into you a refugee.
Get Proactive
When there’s a flood, it’s interesting that two similar homes in the same neighbourhood can experience a huge variation in damage. One might sustain only minor damage while another might end up a write-off. There may be many environmental and structural reasons for this. But one or more of the solid preventative measures we provide at Groundhog Excavating could make the difference between little or no damage and critical and costly damage.
The cost of preventative maintenance to ensure proper drainage is “a drop in the bucket” compared the bailing-bucket brigade you’ll need should your home flood. Cancel the lifeguard, save yourself the grief of having to call a home restoration company and get in touch with Michael, Jeffrey or one of the professional crew members at Groundhog Excavating and Drainage today. Groundhog Excavating Ltd. Phone 778-233-7499.