When a home or business owners talk about water damage to a property, the first thing that comes to mind is the most extreme. Flooding is one of the most catastrophic forms of water damaged property can experience. With a flood, multiple floors of a building can be compromised, including the furniture, carpeting, and other items in the building.

However, flooding, while large in scale, is not the only source of water damage. Storms can also cause water damage to property. Still, there are elements within a home or commercial property itself that can lead to water damage. Here are some of the places property owners should keep an eye out for.

Condensation

Condensation is when water vapor in the air changes back to liquid form. This requires two conditions. The first is that there must be a lot of water vapor in the air, to begin with, and the second is that the temperature must be cooler. Water typically vaporizes at higher temperatures and then liquefies again at lower. This is the general principle behind rainfall as the temperature cools at higher altitudes. As a result, the water condenses into clouds and then eventually falls back to the ground as rain.

In residential or commercial properties, condensation often occurs around air conditioning infrastructure. Air conditioners are, by design, supposed to cool the air, but parts of a central air conditioning system aren’t adequately insulated, condensation can occur inside parts of the home beyond just the vents. If this happens in a crawl space, for example, extensive water damage can occur over weeks, months, or even years before someone notices.

Broken Pipes

Pipes are designed to carry water either into or out of a property. Pipes are one of the simplest construction components since there are no moving parts, and when properly installed, they last decades. However, that doesn’t mean that pipes are indestructible.

Older properties in the Columbus area , in particular, should take care with pipes and consider an inspection. For example, some homes and commercial properties may have cast iron plumbing that is over 100 years old! If these pipes should leak, that means water is either constantly leaking as it is pumped through the building, or, worse yet, it is leaking after being used in sinks, bathtubs, and toilets.

Water Heater Leaks

Many buildings still use a traditional water heater system requiring a tank. Water fills the tank, and a heating element warms the water to the desired temperature, then pumps it to whichever tap or laundry machine requires it.

However, depending on factors such as the water quality or the regularity of inspections and maintenance, leaks can occur in the water heating tank. This eventually leads to water damage in whatever area of the building the water heating tank is located. If the water is leaking because of pressure-related issues with the water heater, this may be very serious and could put the home at risk of an explosion.

Unfortunately, unlike a leaking tap or a blocked toilet, broken pipes or a water heater issue are not things a home or business owner can easily access and address. Professionals better handle this type of water damage.

Leak Detection and Water Damage Repair

If you suspect you’re having a water problem at your home or office contact Dry Patrol today for a comprehensive inspection. We provide professional water damage restoration services covering the entire Columbus, OH area, including Dublin, Westerville, Reynoldsburg, Grove City, Upper Arlington, Hilliard, Clintonville, Pickerington, Gahanna, Worthington, Powell, Pataskala, Whitehall, Delaware, and Bexley.