High Humidity Levels could be causing property damage in your Bay Shore Home or Business

6/17/2020 (Permalink)

Over time hidden moisture can contribute to high humidity levels, creating ideal conditions for mold growth and other property damage concerns.

South Shore Long Island homes and commercial buildings in local towns are at increased risk from water damage disasters. Flooding, pipe bursts and sewage backups are just some of the top reason for property water damage and insurance claims in our area and obviously require emergency response cleanup and mitigation services from our SERVPRO property disaster restoration professionals right away. However, “hidden moisture” water damage can be difficult to detect and often leads to a considerable amount of property damage and an increased cost for water disaster restoration including cleanup, restoration and repairs.

One concern hidden moisture problems or sustained water damage can cause is an increase in the overall humidity of your property. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30 and 60 percent. During warm spring and summer months keeping an ideal relative humidity can be difficult, especially if your property is hiding a moisture issue. If you are having trouble with high humidity in your South Shore residence or commercial building “hidden moisture” could be a cause.

Potential problem areas in your property for high humidity are, damp basements, moisture prone high traffic areas, bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens with high humidity activities and poor circulation. Common signs of excessive humidity include condensation on windows, pipes, and walls. Over time hidden moisture, for example a slow attic leak or a foundation crack can contribute to high indoor humidity levels and during ideal conditions can cause mold growth and other property concerns to emerge. The possible causes of water damage lurking in your home can originate from many different sources, with varying intensities, contamination levels, and scope of damage. Some of our largest Suffolk County property restoration projects start as small water leaks that cause serious structural and indoor air quality issues over time.

Our SERVPRO of Oakdale/North Bay Shore crews use many tools and techniques to successfully and thoroughly locate and address Long Island home and commercial property high humidity and other hidden water damage concerns. Calling local SERVPRO restoration professionals can help investigate the source behind high humidity or hidden water damage concerns and inspect for any sign of visible mold or other secondary property damages.

Common signs of hidden water damage look like:

• Water spots or warping under sink cabinets
  
  If you see water under the bathroom or kitchen sink, it’s a warning sign that you have water damage and potential mold growth around the sink area. If the leak is bad enough, it could cause additional damage to the building structure, including the floor and walls, even if there’s no water present, water spots clearly indicate that pipes under the sink have a slow leak.
  
  
• Ceiling or wall stains and bubbling
  
  Ceiling and wall stains are obvious signs of a roof, appliance, or plumbing leak, water saturates insulation and drywall, it can also lead to major water damage, that can compromise the structural integrity of the property. Check your roof for damage, broken tiles or puddling, also investigate appliances such as the washing machine, dishwasher, and toilets for leaky spigots that could be dripping water and causing damage
• Squishy or Warping kitchen/bathroom floors or tile
  
  Water damage is  not always visible.
  In fact, it’s more common for damage to occur behind the floor, ceiling, and walls where you can’t see it. Since the bathroom is the most humid room in your home, it’s a common place for water damage and mold growth.

Moisture detection equipment can help our SERVPRO restoration professionals to identify problem areas within your home that could be contributing to your home’s high humidity. Excessive moisture and high humidity can also cause mold to grow and spread in areas behind walls and ceilings where it is not easily detected. If water damage isn’t properly mitigated, mold and other secondary damages can begin to spread throughout your property in just a few days. That’s why it’s important to choose quality restoration professionals to dry and restore your property and take necessary steps to avoid further damages.

Ask SERVPRO of Oakdale/North Bay Shore about a Visible Mold Inspection

The key to mold prevention is simple: moisture control and adequate airflow. If you suspect your South Shore Long Island property is suffering from excessive high humidity, get in touch with our SERVPRO staff right away. Our Disaster Restoration team can inspect your property for mold and water damage, locate the source of hidden moisture and plan a mold removal and remediation process to get your home healthy and safe, “Like it never even happened.”

Signs of mold in your property are unpleasant odor, health effects or visual signs of mold growth.

If our SERVPRO technicians do discover mold during the inspection and mitigation process, they will evaluate the mold growth and contain any damage to the smallest area possible. They will then physically remove the mold and thoroughly dry any contaminated areas to ensure that the mold does not return. Finally, the technicians will follow established procedures to return the property to a preloss condition.

When your home or business experiences a water disaster issue, or you suspect that high humidity maybe a problem, call our trusted local SERVPRO of Oakdale/North Bay Shore Property Restoration Service Specialists. Our sophisticated tools can make it easy to determine the presence of hidden moisture and dampness in your home or building, waiting too long to choose a professional cleanup and recovery service can be a costly and hazardous mistake. Our SERVPRO specialists closely monitor and document all our cleanup, mitigation and remediation steps and make sure your moisture problem is taken care of correctly. To schedule a FREE inspection for property damage, give our SERVPRO team a call 24/7.