The Number One Home Killer

A house is a complicated network of systems that have to work together to operate and be continually maintained, but there is one root cause that will cause more damage in your home than anything else and almost every home owner will deal with it at some point. That thing, is water. Water is known as the silent killer of homes because leaks can go months without being noticed and when it is noticed, there has probably already been a fair amount of damage.

What are a some causes of water leaks? There are a number of different issues that can cause water damage, some of which can’t always be caught on a home inspection. The most common leaks are going to be roof leaks which can easily diagnosed by looking in the attic and they are usually caused roofing nails being damaged or improperly installed. Some other common causes are poorly installed or damaged flashing, plumbing and HVAC condensation.

A home inspector should be able to identify water stains/damage and diagnose what the root issue is. It is generally pretty obvious what the root cause is if you are familiar with what certain leaks look like and based on the location of the stain you can make a pretty solid guess. For example if you are on the ground level of a two story home and you see a stain and you know there’s a bathroom right above it, there is a high probably that it may be related to the plumbing in that bathroom.

Ultimately, a home inspection will help you understand these stains and what they are coming from. Going through a walk through on your own or with a realtor, you may notice a small stain somewhere and not think much about it and then be surprised months later and the issue grows then your stuck with the bill. Water is a huge risk to homes and stains and leaks should never be taken lightly as they will cause very pricey repairs if left untreated, a home inspection will make you aware and able to address the issue as soon as possible.