Water damage to your home is one of the worst things to have to deal with and repair. Most of the major causes of this type of damage to a home are the result of some sort of disaster. Dealing with the aftermath of a fire, flood, hurricane or tornado and the negative impacts they have on your home's framing, interior and foundation is both time consuming and expensive. While most owners have some sort of house insurance that will cover a large portion of the cost involved with repairing a water damaged house, they dont cover the emotional stress caused by loss of personal possessions, being saddled with the normal headaches of remodeling or in some cases the pain of being homeless or living in a hotel for extended periods of time. If you've ever had to put on fishing waders just to get out of your house you know that i'm talking about.

 Besides the natural disasters and accidents listed above that lead to the entire house suffering water damage there are many areas where water damage can be found that often goes unnoticed until it is too late.

Probably the most common places a house is most susceptible to moisture damage, mold and mildew are in areas where there is a possible failure in pipes, leaks in faucets , inadequate air ventilation, and poorly sealed fixtures.  For the obvious reasons above, the Bathroom is the primary location within a house that owner end up having to pay for extensive repairs. Repairing water damage in the bathroom can be as minor as replacing a few gaskets in the faucet to an entire reconstruction that has to be done by a bathroom remodeling contractor.  Other areas likely to be impacted and require water damage repairs include in the kitchen, usually a result of leaking faucet, pipes, disposal or dishwasher and utility rooms that house washing machines or water heaters.  Leaks in water heaters and washer fittings can often go unnoticed for long periods of time resulting in damage to areas outside of their immediate locations.  I unfortunately once had an experience where a water heater had leaked under the walls into a bedroom and destroyed not only the walls and drywall but the carpet and padding also had to be replaced.

Many of the repairs that need to be done do to minor water damage caused by improper sealed faucets, leaking water heaters or failed plumbing can be done by the homeowner provided they have a modest amount of electrical, plumbing and carpentry skills. Be warned what starts out as a simple Water damage restoration project can often turn into a full blown need for an outside contractor. Some basic things that an average do it yourself home owner can do are replace damaged drywall, repair plumbing leaks, replace toilet gaskets, seal or caulk around tubs, sinks and drains just to name a few. Below are a few videos I found that can help you do some of these basic types of things to repair or prevent water damage.

There are several thing you can look for to hopefully catch and prevent damage caused by excessive moisture. 

1. Check all the water connections in your house on a regular basis for signs of leaks.  Corrosion on copper pipes is a good indication something is wrong, additionally look for stains and mineral deposits on the bottom of cupboards under the skins or around the base of washers and water heaters.

2. Keep your eyes peeled for mold and mildew.  This is how I noticed my leaking water heater.  Our walk in closet had a damp feel to it and boxes stacked on the floor and shelves were starting to mildew. That’s when I noticed the damp carpets and tracked down the root cause.

3. inspect the caulking around tubs and sinks when doing normal cleaning, look for signs of wet drywall if you notice missing or cracked caulk.  Mold and mildew, stains on paint and drywall or bubbling of the drywall are sure signs of potential problems.

4. Inspect your roof yearly and seal around vents and other openings as needed.  A roof leak not caught quickly can do serious damage as the water soaks insulation, wood framing and gets in behind the walls.  Often when you notice water damage caused by a roof leak it is too late and will require some serious remodeling and repairs.