How To Prevent Water Damage In Your Bathroom

6/1/2021 (Permalink)

Your bathroom is probably the most vulnerable area in your home or business when it comes to damage from water, and that only makes sense. To prevent such damage from occurring, you will want to do regular assessments of pipes, faucets and fixtures, caulking, and more. If you can identify aging equipment and replace it before it fails, you will avoid the most common causes of water damage in your bathroom. 

Here is a great list of things to look for:

• You may notice wallpaper or paint peeling away or appearing discolored in your bath area. Check for bowing in the walls, which can be a result of long-term seepage. If the flooring is swollen or removed from the subfloor, that is another indicator of water seepage. If any of these signs appear, it’s important to find the source of the leak. 
• Look for cracks in window seals and door panes, as well. 
• Odors are a powerful indicator that there is an excess water problem. Oftentimes, it’s mold or mildew that causes those smells, so look in those hard-to-see places, such as under the sink, behind the toilet, and in the closet. 
• Make a regular inspection of pipes and hoses; if you see one that is getting old, replace it BEFORE it fails. Waiting until it breaks will mean a water damage event, which you want to avoid. 
• If you do experience flooding in your bathroom, such as from a toilet backing up or a bathtub overflowing, make sure you remove the standing water right away. Employ fans if you can (be sure not to plug them in until you know that there is no dampness in the wall); these will help to speed up the drying process. 

Call the professionals at SERVPRO if the worst happens; we’re experienced and trained to remediate and repair areas that have extensive damage from excess water due to leaky pipes, flooding, etc. Our team here at SERVPRO of South and Northwest Grand Rapids is here to help with cleanups after water damage or fire damage, and we handle mold invasions, biohazards, vandalism, and more. We can get your home or business Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, too! This franchise is independently owned and operated.