What Causes Water Damage In A Garage And How To Fix It?
What if you open your garage one day and there is water everywhere? Your garage might be a storage space for things and you don’t want water to damage anything. Here are the reasons why leaks can occur in the garage and how to carry out water damage restoration.
Causes Of Leaks In Garages
Before jumping into how you can fix the garage from water damage, you need to know why it happens in the first place, so that you can rip the root of the problem right out. Here are some reasons why it can happen.
Pipe Leakages
Your garage might have a lot of pipes coming in and out of the space. There might also be drainage pipes along the garage top, for the roof, but this also means that the garage is susceptible to water damage.
This is something that can cause water to puddle up, especially when the pipes are too old and they’re leaking. You can check for a watery or metallic smell and dripping sounds in your garage. Since it is an enclosed space, you’ll be able to pinpoint exactly where the water is coming from.
Rust
Speaking of leaks, pipes usually leak when there is rust on them and when they’re too old and you haven’t replaced them. If your pipes are really old, then there is a high chance that they might fall victim to rust and corrosion over time.
This can cause the rust to eat away at the pipe. This will create cracks, which can lead to leaks. This is why you want to always check the condition of your pipes. If they’re getting really old, then you need to fix the problem.
Rain
This is an obvious cause in many cases. If the roof is damaged, gutters are clogged, or there is any other issue, rainwater may invade the garage and cause all kinds of problems. If you notice rainwater in the garage, hire an expert who can inspect the house, find the cause of the problem, and fix it.
Porous Concrete Slabs
The driveway of your house can lead up to the garage where you ultimately park your car, but with that being said, the very material out of which your driveway or even your garage is made can cause water leaks and damage, and that material is concrete.
Concrete is naturally porous, so it is not far-fetched to think of it as a hazard for water damage. It can let water seep into the garage, whether it be rainwater or even subsoil water, and once that happens, both the concrete and the garage won’t be free from water damage.
Door Seals Are Not Working
The garage door is usually fitted with seals that prevent water from seeping into the space and getting everything wet, especially your car and other appliances. This is why these doors are called waterproof doors. But these very seals are not long-lasting, and there will come a time when they get loose and they won’t be able to hold off the water any longer.
This is why you want to check the seals timely and if need be, then you have to change them too. You have to stop water from seeping into the garage, because that is a problem you don’t want to deal with.
Appliances Malfunctioning
A garage is also used as a space where people keep their washing machines or even other appliances like boilers and water heaters. It’s the most obvious place, because it is roomy and things just flow better for people that way. However, when you have appliances that use water to run, then there can be some malfunctioning that can lead to water damage, directly or indirectly.
Washing machines can overflow, the water heaters can break, and cause water to puddle up on the floor and if it goes unnoticed, then there will be a lot of problems in the future, so you definitely don’t want to do that.
How To Fix A Water-Damaged Garage?
Now that you know the causes of water damage in a garage, here is what you can do to fix your garage.
Dry The Place
The first thing you want to do when you’re dealing with water in the garage is to open up the space and dry it. You want to grab a bucket, mop, and other things and use them to get rid of as much water as possible. You don’t want water to accumulate anywhere.
If you want to dry the water before it reaches things that you don’t want getting ruined, then you have to act fast. This is the only way you can reduce water damage.
Get Rid Of The Problem
The next thing you want to do is to get rid of the problem, a.k.a. the source of water. You want to do this first, because you’ll only mindlessly keep cleaning the water and have more come at you. This is not smart. You want to nip the problem in the bud, so that you can get to cleaning the water.
So, whether it be leaking pipes, puddles of water in the garage, or rainwater seeping in, you want to do everything you can to stop it from creating a huge mess.
Damage Repair
This is probably obvious, but after you’ve dealt with the storm, a.k.a. the water and the problem, the next thing you want to do is assess the damage and save things that can be saved. You don’t want to keep water-soiled things in the garage, because that is just like inviting mold to invade your space.
If you leave wet things in a closed space with no ventilation, then it will obviously cause a lot of problems, mold being one of them. So, you want to do this as soon as possible. You want to put all of the dry things out in the sun and let everything dry completely.
Check For Mold
Speaking of mold, you also have to be cautious of this little – or big – problem. Mold can infest any and every place water has touched, so you definitely don’t want to sit around unbothered by it. You want to check for a sweet musty smell, any paint blotches on the wall and discoloration on the ceiling.
You can also look for black and greenish blobs in the wet patches and that is when you have to spring into action. You need to call water damage restoration and mold removal services pronto.
Empty The Garage For Restoration
Lastly, the garage is a very tight and compact place, so if you’re calling the professionals and having them take up the job from that point on, then you have to empty the garage for easier access. This will save time and it will also reveal any hidden spots where you might have missed inspection for either water damage or mold.
This will save your garage from destruction, so instead of just sitting around, waiting for the team, you want to give yourself a head start and want to clean out the garage on time.
Conclusion
Water damage in the garage can be detrimental and you don’t want to let it sit around and wreak havoc. So, act quickly and hire a water damage restoration and mold remediation Silver Spring team.
