How to Find a Water Leak in Your House

Do you suspect a water leak in your house? As you may know, water leaks pose a serious threat to your home and your family’s health. Left untreated, a water leak can lead to mold growth, wood rot and airborne particles that can precipitate asthma symptoms. Here’s how to find a water leak in your house depending on where you find moisture.  

Stained or Dripping Ceiling

If you notice a darkened patch on your ceiling or if you detect actual dripping, you know that the water leak in your house is coming from above the ceiling. What many homeowners assume incorrectly though, is that the roof must be leaking. This may not necessarily be true. A ceiling leak can also be caused by water pipe condensation or a busted or leaky plumbing pipe. Sometimes it may even be caused by a fun-loving youngster who likes to flood the upstairs bathroom when you aren’t paying attention! First, examine the stain or dripping water itself. Is it discolored? If so, it could be originating from rusty and leaking pipes. Next, examine the floor above the ceiling. Is it damp to the touch or is the flooring warped? This can indicate repeated flooding (consult with the youngster!). Examine the ceiling on the second floor over the damp area. Is there a stain on that ceiling, too? Then the water leak may indeed be originating from the roof. If you have a central air conditioning unit in the attic, there may also be an issue with that. Depending on what you find, you’ll need to consult with a plumber or roofer.  

Water in the Basement

Many homeowners have to contend with basement flooding during heavy rainstorms. In most cases, a properly installed sump pump takes care of it. However, if you suddenly find yourself with water in the basement when you never had a problem before, then you have a different kind of problem. If like many people, you don’t go into the basement often and the water’s been standing a while, you could also have a mold and mildew problem to deal with. After you’ve hired an emergency water damage restoration and repair company, you need to find where the leak is coming from. In some cases, a basement water leak is caused by a structural problem with the foundation walls. Excess groundwater may be seeping into your basement right through the walls. A structural engineer may be able to officially diagnose the issue.  

Moisture on the Walls

If you have signs like peeling wallpaper or cracking paint, you could have a leak behind the walls. Water here typically saturates the wallboard, causing the symptoms mentioned. This kind of water leak in your home is particularly dangerous because the dark, dank and moist conditions are perfect breeding grounds for mold. First, look for signs of water entry through a window. If there’s a window located directly above the moist wall, it’s possible that it’s just a case of sealing a crack in the window frame. Otherwise, you’ll need to contract with a plumber, because the second possible cause is a burst water pipe behind the walls. In either case, it’s important to have the water damage mitigated by a restoration company so your family is not exposed to mold spores. The water leak might have been going on for a long time before you noticed anything.  

Water on the Kitchen Floor

If you find puddled water on the kitchen floor, it could be a plumbing leak from under the kitchen sink. If the puddle is in front of the dishwasher, it could be an appliance malfunction. In both cases, contact a plumber to fix the leak. Afterward, consult with a water restoration company to ensure that no serious damage occurred.   Don’t take chances with a water leak in your house. Anytime you’ve discovered a water leak, it’s not enough just to fix it and forget about it.  Request a free estimate of Zona Restoration water mitigation services today.