Water intrusion is a broad term that can encompass a wide variety of moisture-related issues in your home. Regardless of the source of the water that’s making its way into your home, a water intrusion inspection can help. But what exactly is a water intrusion inspection, and how do you know when you need one? Keep reading to learn more about these inspections and how to tell if you need a water intrusion repair in Sacramento.
What Is Water Intrusion?
In order to properly understand a water intrusion inspection, you must first understand water intrusion itself. As stated above, it’s an umbrella term that refers to any source of unwanted moisture making its way into your home. This can include plumbing leaks, roof leaks, basement seepage, and more. Water intrusion can be sudden and drastic, or gradual and difficult to detect. It’s these latter types of water intrusion that often require an inspection to track down the source and correct the issue.
How Do You Know You Need an Inspection?
So, how can you tell when you need a professional water intrusion inspection? Naturally, if you’re looking at a sudden and dramatic source of water (like a burst pipe or flooding from severe weather conditions), you probably don’t need someone to inspect your home to tell you that you have a moisture problem or where it’s coming from. However, if you’re noticing more subtle signs of water intrusion, an inspection can help. Here are some signs to watch for that indicate you need a water intrusion inspection:
- High humidity levels in certain areas of your home
- A musty smell with no clear source
- Walls are damp to the touch
- Persistent mold problems
- Discolored spots on walls or ceiling
All of these issues may exist simultaneously, or you may only have 1 or 2 of these signs in your home. Regardless of how many you notice in your house, it’s likely still a good idea to contact a professional for a water intrusion inspection. The sooner you can pinpoint the source of excess moisture in your home, the more damage you can prevent.
What Does the Inspector Look For?
When a leak detection specialist comes to inspect your home for water intrusion, there are several things that they will be looking for:
- Specific aspects of your home that may lead to moisture-related problems (e.g., improper grading around the home, broken gutters or downspouts, etc.)
- Indications of moisture intrusion by using high-tech thermal cameras and moisture meters
- Structural damage caused by water intrusion
- Secondary issues created by water intrusion, such as mold infestation
Once your inspector finds signs of moisture, they’ll use their knowledge of how moisture and water can move through a building to trace the water intrusion back to its source. For example, let’s say that you’ve noticed a discolored spot on one area of your ceiling. This likely indicates a leak in your roof. However, water can travel along the beams supporting your roof before dripping down and pooling to create that water mark, so the leak may not be directly above that spot in your attic. Your inspector will be able to trace the water back to its source so that proper repairs can be conducted.
Your inspector should also be able to communicate clearly to you how to prevent future moisture intrusion in your home. For instance, if the water intrusion is in your basement, they should recommend full waterproofing of your basement and/or regarding the area around your home so that the ground slopes away from your foundation, rather than towards it.
What Repairs Will You Need?
The answer to this question will depend on the source of your water intrusion. If you have moisture seeping into your basement from the surrounding soil, waterproofing and a sump pump may solve the issue. If water is leaking in around your windows during heavy rainstorms, replacing your windows will likely fix this issue. If water is seeping up into your home from a broken water main underground, the underground pipe will need to be repaired or replaced to fix the issue. Either way, the first step in getting the proper repairs is getting an inspection that can pinpoint the cause and exact location of the water intrusion for you.
If you’ve noticed any of the above-mentioned signs of water intrusion in your home, contact Bullseye Leak Detection today. We are experts at water intrusion detection, regardless of the source, and can help you track down everything from plumbing leaks to roof leaks and more. After we’ve found the leak, we can often help fix the problem as well, including providing water main repair in Sacramento. Contact us today to schedule your water intrusion inspection with a leak detection expert.