GTA RESTORATION BLOG IN TORONTO & GTA

Water damage can leave you with a costly bill and can result in irreversible damage. Fortunately, there are some common signs to look out for, so you can catch it early if it does happen and get it repaired as soon as possible. ​

If your floors are looking a little odd and not as they used to, trust your gut as it may be water damage. What constitutes odd? You may notice that your floors are what experts call ‘cupping’. This is when the sides of your floorboards are higher than the centre of the floorboards. This generally occurs when moisture builds up inside the wood and swells it while weighing down the centre. You will notice the opposite effect when too much moisture is removed from the floorboards and they shrink. In addition, your hardwood floors can ‘crown’ which is the opposite of cupping. Moisture builds up inside the boards and the centre of the wood is higher than the sides of the wood. 
 
If you notice your hardwood floors ‘buckling’ than this could be a sign of water damage. When your hardwood flooring buckles, the wood will lift from the subflooring several inches in multiple places or one. 
 
You must take into consideration how your wood flooring was installed. Sometimes it is not due to water damage at all, but to wear and tear and improper installation. Hardwood flooring needs time to get used to the environment and the elements it will be exposed to. If this doesn’t happen and it is installed before it is ready, cupping, crowning, and buckling can occur as well. ​

Take a look at your ceilings and floors and take note of any stains. Feel your carpets as well and if they are wet to the touch, that is definitely a sign that a leak has occurred and there may be water damage. If the stains on your ceilings are yellow or brown and are various shapes and sizes, that is a sign of water damage. Take note of where the stain is as well. If the stain is underneath your bathroom where the toilet or shower is, that increases the chances of it being water damage from a leak. ​

A tell-tale sign that there is water damage in your home is mold as mold can only develop if there is a source of moisture. You may find mold spores on your hardwood floors, inside the wall and outside the wall, and on the ceiling. Check your basement thoroughly as well as most people find Mold there. It can be a variety of colours, the most common being black mold. Keep in mind that no mold does not mean you are safe from water damage and it doesn’t exist. Mold is highly dangerous to your health and can even lead to death with long-term exposure, so it is not an issue to be taken lightly. 
 
For most cases, Mold Damage will only begin to grow if the source of the water damage has been damp for a long time. In this case, you may have water damage long before you notice it.