5 Problems Small Leaks in Your Home Can Cause
Water is one of the most powerful natural forces on Earth. It is the only force that can nourish crops while causing features like mountains to crumble.
This incredible ability to dissolve and erode even rocks makes it a hazard for basements and homes. It can rot wood, crack foundations, and create small breaches that allow more water to seep into your home.
This additional water causes more problems until you have a small lake in your home.
Let’s explore five unwanted things that a simple and seemingly harmless leaks in your home can cause.
1. Flooding
Leaks in your home begin as tiny problems. They may be so small that they are little more than areas with elevated levels of moisture.
The problem is that even the smallest leak can grow larger. It will erode more material until it freely allows water to flow in and out of your home.
This means that leaks, no matter how small, will eventually result in flooding.
2. Microorganisms
Moisture is a component needed for almost all known forms of life. This means that areas lacking moisture will be free of organisms, while areas that stay wet will be a prime breeding ground for all sorts of things.
When you have leaks in your home, you have an area where elevated levels of moisture reside. Bacteria, mold and other microorganisms can travel inside of your home before multiplying.
The result of these microorganisms can be everything from a simple irritation to health problems that can affect your entire family.
3. Drafts
Leaks require holes. If water can travel inside of your home, then air can both escape and infiltrate it.
This can cause drafts in your home. Areas that may have a controlled climate might require significantly more cooling or heating to stay at the right temperature.
This results in a less comfortable environment that costs you more to heat and cool.
4. Fires
While water itself tends to be non-conductive, it generally carries minerals and other substances that are. When this water comes in contact with active electrical wiring, you encounter a short circuit.
Left unchecked, this can be the source of a fire. This could put your entire home at risk.
The reason electrical fires are such a danger with leaks concerns the way that they develop. They may cause a large fire immediately, or your wiring may be prone to fluctuations that could cause appliances to fail.
5. Foundation Shifting
Water can shift your entire house. Leaks in your home can erode the structures in your home responsible for keeping it level and sturdy.
When your home’s foundation shifts, this encourages more leaks to develop. Your roof, garage, windows and doors may begin to leak as the result of your home’s foundation shifting.
Even Small Leaks in your Home Should be Repaired
The five effects of leaks listed above are simply the start. Leaks can cause even more damage to your home, which means that you will spend more money, time and effort trying to repair damage that could have been prevented.
When you see signs of even the smallest leak, contact the experts at Raleigh Waterproofing Inc. Allow our expertise to repair and prevent the damage that leaks can do to your home.