Ways Rainwater Can Attack Your Home
Rainwater might be entirely natural and beneficial for the earth in moderation, but buildings and water aren't the best of friends. Once your roof fails and rain goes where it shouldn't, it can leave a trail of damage. That's why you should book a roofing inspection if you suspect anything is wrong. Here are several ways that water can attack your home.
Destabilised Ceiling Plaster
You may be experiencing a deluge when you notice puddles of rainwater on the carpet and the drips falling through the ceiling. As you rush to capture the drops with a bucket and any containers you can find, you may wonder who to call for emergency roof repairs before the situation escalates. Unfortunately, once water is dripping through the ceiling, it may have soaked and permeated the crawl space. Water can spoil plaster as dust sticks to the damp areas, leaving dirty brown patches. Water-logged plaster is also heavy, and it can detach from the ceiling joists, the supporting timber beams, which may also have rotted.
Mould Infestation
To grow, mould loves certain conditions, such as dark ceiling cavities and moisture. Mould can fester in roofing insulation and ceiling plaster before spreading to the walls. This creates an unhealthy building and atmosphere.
Electrical Fires
The wiring for lights, and possibly appliances such as air conditioning, travel through the crawl space. Electricity and water don't combine well, and their mingling could cause an electrical fire. Even though the system probably has built-in safety mechanisms, your cabling could be ruined.
Dampness in External Walls
Instead of leaking through the roof, sometimes water attacks your home by another route — by cascading over the sides of gutters. When this happens, rainwater runs down the external walls, which can become damp and grow mould. If it happens continually and the sun doesn't have a chance to dry out the cladding, the dampness can spread. Mud and dirt can also wear away at the finish and give your home a grubby look.
Waterlogged Foundations
Typically, working gutters channel water flow around the roof perimeter and through the downpipes, safely away from your home. However, once rain overflows the gutters and runs down the walls, it can pool around the building foundations. The earth around the area can become bogged and unstable. While the situation may not seem as urgent as rain leaking through the ceiling and soaking your carpet, the damage is just as sinister.
Wrecked Paving and Garden
Uncontrolled water around the base of the building can also degrade the pavement and garden. Concrete can form a green haze as mould spreads through the surface. Additionally, nearby foliage and plants can suffer from overwatering. Thus, if you notice signs of dampness both inside and outside, contact roofing services which can inspect both the roof and gutters for problems.
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