The way you planned to use your home may differ from the way you actually use your rooms. Empty nesters may have extra bedrooms and bathrooms over the years. Maybe you only use the basement or top story when family visits. And that spare bedroom over the garage is always so cold (or hot) in the middle of winter or summer.
You may have heard that you can save money on your utility bills by sealing off unused rooms: doors, registers and vents. There are many issues caused by completely closing off entire rooms or keeping air vents closed, including the possibility that you might damage your HVAC system. And there is definitely a danger when a bathroom goes unused for a long time.
Signs of water damage include:
At Serenity Restoration, we would like to warn you of some of the most common areas of water damage.
In unused rooms, slow accumulation of excess moisture via the windows can cause damage including mold growth, wood rot, or even foundation problems. Window leaks can happen for a number of reasons. Typically, window leaks are due to 1) poorly installed windows and 2) cracked window panes, or 3) condensation due to temperature changes.
If your windows are leaking, you have a significant problem and need to address it. Whether our team should simply repair your existing windows or replace them with new ones, you need to act now. That moisture can damage the window sills, sheetrock and floors around the leak. Caulk doesn’t last forever, and even though it is meant to expand and contract as the building materials around it do, gaps will open up.
Bathroom sinks are vulnerable to cracks and leaks. Over time, the seals may get dried out and prone to seepage. These leaks may drip, leave puddles under your sink, and pool on the bathroom floor.
As a shower ages, the caulking deteriorates and gets brittle. Take a look at the sealing around your shower, tub and soap dish; inspect for weak points. Splash leaks are a common source of water damage in the bathroom; even minor leakage can lead to huge problems over time since the water seeps below the tiles and begins to rot the sub-floor.
When you close any of your HVAC system’s registers, condensation occurs due to lower surface temperatures in those unused rooms, leading to mildew and mold growth.
Keeping those air vents open will help things stay nice and dry. As a result, you’ll prevent moisture build-up and unhealthy mold spores from plaguing your family.
If you have ceiling fans in your home, turn them on. Many fans have a “winter” setting, which reverses the fan so that it moves clockwise vs. counterclockwise. Since heat rises, the clockwise-spinning fan will push the heat back down into your rooms versus being trapped up at the ceilings. This is especially recommended if you have high or sloped ceilings.
We’re a team of water damage professionals in the emergency response field. We have been in the field for a combined 20+ years, working for a variety of companies, both program vendors (insurance preferred) and non program vendors. We know how to work with insurance companies instead of against while still operating with your best interests at heart. We’re continually testing out new technology and new methods to always stay up to date.
We work with all the major insurers. If it’s not an insurance claim, we’ll work with you on the bill. If it’s not great enough to warrant a full-blown remediation project, they can rent you the equipment for less than that of the major equipment rental groups.
If this is an emergency, please call us for 24/7 water damage restoration service. Or use the form online to get more information about how Serenity Restoration can help you care for your home.
If this is an emergency, please call 678-648-1294 for 24/7 service.
