Water damage to your home from water could be more costly than you think – there’s finding the source of the leak, repairs to the source and the damage it caused, as well as the cost to your family’s health from infections and respiratory ailments stemming from molds if not repaired and cleaned properly.
There are a number of areas where a leaking pipe can cause severe damage, including your insulation that, in many ways, can act like a sponge and actually hold moisture rather than air including:
- Plumbing - seals in fixtures wear out, sink drains can spring a leak and toilets can shift off their sealing gaskets. For the most part these can be replaced or tightened with a wrench and screw driver – if caught early enough.
- Bathrooms are all about water with bathtubs, showers, toilets, and sinks as well as caulking around the tub and sink. The tiles and grout around the bathtub can also fail, allowing water in behind destroying the drywall, and allowing mold growth into the insulation, which might need to be removed. This means you’ll probably have to replacing wall and tiles all in one go. It’s an expensive renovation, but necessary before more serious damage occurs to floor joists and the ceilings below.
- Condensation - dripping from your pipes is common in Ontario, a quick fix is to insulate the cold water pipes with a foam cover, available at any hardware store.
- Basements – these are the most likely place you’ll find water, because it’s the lowest point in your home. Basement water can come from several sources: clogged eavestroughs and downspouts, foundation cracks, sewer backups, and leaking or burst pipes.
HOW TO CHECK FOR WATER DAMAGE TO YOUR INSULATION
If you’ve ever had a leaking pipe hidden in a wall, or a pipe burst from being frozen in winter, then you know what a mess that can be. As the insulation and drywall becomes saturated with water, the paint or wallpaper on the wall may begin to blister or peel. Perhaps most concerning is the fact that mold may begin to grow inside your wall as a result of all the moisture in there.
To find if water is leaking, check your water meter, then wait two hours without using any water anywhere in the house (that means no flushing toilets during that time), then check the meter again. If it’s moved at all during that time, you probably have a leak somewhere. Next, check the likely locations, such as under sinks, behind toilets and around your washing machine and dishwasher. If you can’t find a leak anywhere, you’ll need to contact a plumber for assistance.
Contact Reitzel Insulation for Insulation Removal in Kitchener
If it is found that the leak is inside a wall, it’s a big repair that includes removing drywall and insulation, repairing the leak, re-checks to ensure the leak is sealed, and removal of any mold that’s developed inside the wall before you put up new insulation and drywall. That’s why you should contact a professional to help remove the damaged insulation.
If you have concerns about your insulation, water leaks or moisture and mold, contact Reitzel Insulation for insulation removal services in Ontario, including Kitchener and Oakville, at 1-800-265-8869 today for our 5 year workmanship warranty, and our second-to-none project clean-up procedures.
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