House water damage occurs when water from rain or plumbing leaks enters a house’s infrastructure and weakens it through rotting of the building’s structure or through mold or bacteria growth. One may wonder if it's dangerous to continue living inside a house that has water damage.
Or maybe you are thinking about buying a house with water damage. Is it something that can be easily fixed or is it safer not to buy a water damaged house? Read on for more information about what can happen to a home that has water damage.
Does Water Damage Decrease Home Value?
What can happen to a home that has water damage? Water damage can negatively affect a house’s value. The water may cause structural damage to the property while mold and bacteria growth can also be a safety hazard. If the damage isn’t properly assessed and repaired, the problems may continue long after the surface damage has been repaired.
For example, you may purchase a house that has no visible water damage but later your family may face respiratory issues due to mold growth within the walls. In some cases, the walls may even collapse years later due to progressive structural damage. To ensure you don’t go at a loss when purchasing a water damaged house, it is best to hire a home inspection expert to assess the extent of the damage. They would also be able to advise on how much it would cost to properly repair the house and avoid future problems.
What Do You Do If Your House Has Water Damage?
The first step one should take if they discover water damage is to find out the root cause of the damage. This could be due to a plumbing fault, a leaking roof, or even flooding from an overflowed river. If the root cause is not fixed, the problem may keep repeating itself even after fixing the damage to the house.
If you are viewing homes and considering buying a house with water damage you should find out from the owner or estate agent the extent of the water damage and how long it took before the issue was discovered and fixed. You should get reports of all repairs of the water damage and any tests done to ensure that the problem was fully fixed. If the repairs were paid for by an insurance company, you should find out if they will also pay for any future issues related to the damage.
It is advisable to get a home inspection expert to deeply assess the extent of a house’s water damage before placing a bid on it. Hidden structural damage, mold, and dry-rot are notoriously hard to detect but an expert would know what to look for.
What Can Happen To A Home That Has Water Damage?
How bad is water damage to a house? Water damage can make a house unlivable due to mold or bacteria growth. It can also decrease the value of the home depending on how deep the structural damage is. It is best to use a home inspection expert to assess the levels of water damage to a house so as to know what the costs of repair will be and whether to buy the property. For more tips and advice on home maintenance do read the rest of our blog.