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(403) 754-6648
We're In Your Neighborhood!
Same Day Service
Since 1992
Call The Gentleman Pros Now!
(403) 754-6648
Water can cause a lot of damage to a home very quickly.
Water damage can be a result of various causes, including aging pipes, a leak in the plumbing system, blocked drains, and severe weather.
Please call us so we can help. We can identify where the leak or source of the water is coming from, and then fix the problem, and remove the damage.
Obviously, a big flood from a pipe burst, sewer backup, or basement water leak may be easy to detect quickly.
Slow leaks can be less obvious and harder to detect. The most common signs of water damage are stains on ceilings and floors, a musty smell, peeling paint, and warping wood or MDF.
Remember, if you’re struggling to find the source of a leak, call a plumber. Let us help you find the problem before it causes more damage.
Landlords should be hyper-aware of leaks. Do a regular walk-through of your property assessing the plumbing and looking for leaks. Remind your tenant to report leaks as soon as they are detected. (Use the plumbing inspection checklist at the end of the article as a guide.)
Schedule a yearly plumbing inspection to ensure your plumbing is in good repair and identify small issues before they become major issues. Join our membership, and receive a free annual home inspection every year. The inspection includes a camera inspection down your main sewer line.
Also, another indication of a plumbing leak is a high water bill. Some leaks will do a lot of damage, while others just wastewater. For example, if a toilet isn’t sealed properly, every flush will leak water into the floor, causing structural damage if it goes undetected. A toilet that continues to run (because the flapper is lifted), can waste 1200 cubic meters, enough to fill a swimming pool, in a month’s time.
You can check your toilets for leaks by adding a drop of water into the toilet tank let it sit for 10 minutes without flushing. If the color has seeped from the toilet tank to the water bowl, you can be certain you have a water leak.
A small stream of water can waste the equivalent of 50 bathtubs of water each month.
Water can do a lot of damage quickly. Identify the source of the problem as quickly as you can. Call us so we can find the source of the leak, and repair the problem.
Also, water damage can come in a variety of ways. A slow leak might be harder to detect.
To prevent more damage, you might need to refrain from flushing, or draining anything in a particular area. Stopping the water leak might require turning the water off in certain areas of your home.
If you have a main sewer line backup don’t drain a sink, tub, an appliance or flush another toilet until the backup is resolved.
A main sewer line backup is waste water flowing through the main sewer line, which returns back into the house. Most often wastewater will return through the lowest drain in the house, most often a basement floor drain or a basement shower.
Remember, turning off the water supply to a leaking fixture, such as a toilet or sink might also be needed.
Do everything possible to bring air to the area. Dry fans, opening windows. Circulating the air can make a big difference.
That may require cutting out the drywall.
Fortunately, in Red Deer the air is dry.
The most common causes of water damage in Red Deer are:
Water damage is a big deal.
Water damage can become a health concern if it isn’t treated right away. Mold, mildew, and bacteria can grow quickly in a moist environment.
Wood, MDF, drywall, and other building material act as a sponge absorbing moisture. The structural integrity of the home is impacted as wood warps and buckles, and drywall crumbles.
Stopping the water damage is the first priority. Removing and drying out the water is equally important.
Cutting out wood, and drywall, and removing flooring, including carpet and underlay, might be required to stop the spread of water and to air out the moisture.
If the water damage is coming from a sewer backup, it is critical to remove everything that was touched by the wastewater. Throw it away or have it professionally cleaned.
That will depend on the amount of water damage and the humidity in the air.
In Calgary where the air is dry, most likely a room can dry out within 72 hours.
Be sure to blow fans on the damaged area. Call a restoration company if the damage is excessive.
The most important thing to do is to take care of the source of the problem! For example, this may require repairing or replacing the main sewer line, installing a sump pump, resetting a toilet, insulating pipes, and repairing eves.
Water damage is most concerning if it isn’t able to dry out properly, or if the source of the problem is not identified. Mold and mildew can grow rapidly if the damage is not treated swiftly and completely.
Find the source of the problem. Fix the problem permanently, avoiding further damage.
A slow, undetected leak can cause serious damage. Call a professional if you need help identifying and fixing the source of the problem.
Catching a small problem before it becomes a big problem saves money and avoids stress.
Mold and mildew start to grow within about 24 to 48 hours.
It is important to identify water damage right away to inhibit mold growth.
Wood and other building materials can soak up water like a sponge.
It is really important that the affected area is able to completely dry. This often involves removing flooring, baseboards, drywall, and such to reach all the damaged areas.
Talk to your insurance provider to understand the limits of your insurance policy.
More likely your insurance will cover damages that are caused by a sudden burst of water. For example, a pipe burst, sewer backup, or a burst of water from an appliance.
A gradual problem, such as a slow leak, or required maintenance most likely would not be covered by insurance.
Reach out to your insurance agent for clarification on what your policy does and does not cover.
Many homes experience water damage due to the weather.
Frozen pipes are a common occurrence when pies are not insulated or when the temperature of your home drops below freezing. As the water in the pipe freezes, it expands adding pressure to the pipe. The pressure built up in the pipe can burst spots in the pipe.
If you have a modular or mobile home be sure your pipes are properly insulated.
As the water table around your home rises, your home may be susceptible to flooding. Consider installing a sump pump, to pump out water during the rainy season and melting season.
Often serious water damage is a result of the main drain or main sewer line backing up.
The main sewer line connects to every drain in your home and conveys the sewage to the municipal sewer line (or your septic tank if you live on an acreage).
If the main sewer line is damaged, you will most likely find out when your main sewer line backs up.
You will know you have a main sewer line backup because sewage water will return back through all the drains on the lowest level of your home. This is extremely gross and will cause a lot of damage quickly.
Avoid a sewer backup, by ensuring there are no clogs or damage in your main sewer line. Schedule a sewer line camera inspection to ensure your sewer lines and flowing and free of clogs or any other damage.
Use this list to review and help identify where plumbing leaks could potentially be coming from. Homeowners and landlords should Inspect their plumbing before a leak starts.
Please reach out and book an appointment if you have concerns with your plumbing. With each service call our technicians perform a plumbing inspection on your entire home.
