Water damage could occur in many ways that lead to additional problems. A sink or toilet might overflow, a water heater might rupture, or you might experience external flooding. No matter how it happens, water damage restoration could help to make your home safe and whole again, but you might be tempted to ignore it. Let's take a closer look at some of the risks of ignoring water damage in your home.

Growth of Mold and Mildew

Mold and mildew commonly occur quickly after initial water damage occurs. According to ComfyLiving, mold could start growing inside your home within a day or two due of water damage. Mold and mildew typically grow in dark and moist spaces, like inside walls, basements, or attics. A water damage restoration service can look for mold and mildew and remove them while repairing your home.

Unpleasant Odors That Linger

Closely related to mold and mildew contamination is the unpleasant odor that they often create. You might detect a musty odor while in a particular room or in a particular area of your home that did not exist prior to the water damage. You also might notice other smells caused by other water saturation in various parts of your home. The water damage might cause odors and fumes that sicken members of your household and make it very unpleasant to be indoors.

Weakened Structural Elements

When water saturates the wood, the wooden components could weaken quickly. Wall studs, wooden flooring, and other structural elements might begin to rot and affect your home's structural integrity. A weakened wooden floor might not support the weight of your appliances, furnishings, and people inside the home and give way. Water damage also might damage concrete, walls, and appliances. Ignoring water damage restoration leaves your home vulnerable to additional decay.

Faulty Electrical Circuits

Water and electrical wiring do not mix, and water damage might compromise one or more electrical circuits in your home. Although the electrical wiring is insulated with a waterproof coating, the connections are not. Plus, if mice or other rodents were to chew on the insulating coating on the wiring, the wiring could be exposed at nearly any point. Exposed electrical wiring and water damage might trigger an electrical failure or, worse, an electrical fire.

Repeated Occurrences of Water Damage

Ignoring water damage makes it more likely that you also are ignoring the source of the issue. Ignoring its cause makes you vulnerable to more water infiltration and subsequent damage. It is important to identify the causes, correct them, and fix any damage caused to help keep your home safe and prevent repeated damage. If you ignore the water damage, another occurrence could be especially damaging to your home.

Increased Utilities Costs

Water damage can affect your power usage by affecting the appliances that use electricity. An HVAC system could be especially vulnerable to water damage and require cleaning to ensure it runs efficiently and remove any effects of water contamination within the various vents and ductwork. The AC system might work less efficiently, and the heating system likewise could be affected by water saturation that leaves it in a less-than-ideal condition. You could see a sudden rise in your power bill due to less efficient appliances and HVAC systems due to water damage.

Denied Homeowners Insurance Claim

Homeowner's insurance policies almost always include coverage to pay for water damage restoration when you experience internal flooding. Additional flood insurance that protects against external flooding also could pay up to policy limits for damage caused to your home. Ignoring the water damage, though, makes it likelier that your claim would be denied if you wait several weeks or months to file a claim with your insurer. An insurer also might declare you to be negligent because you ignored it, which could endanger your entire homeowner's insurance coverage.

Here at Northwest Restoration, you can call, visit us, or complete our online form to schedule a water damage restoration service. We can identify the damage and fix it to make your home whole again. We work with homeowners insurance companies and provide customers with inspections and accurate estimates of the cost to fix the water damage and prevent it from recurring.