When you buy a house, you may not know it has water damage, even if you have a home inspection done. The goal of a home inspector is not to go over every single detail of your home. Their job is to make sure the basic functions of a home are intact and that there are no major concerns a potential buyer needs to watch out for or to point out more obvious concerns so a buyer is aware of them before they buy.
This means that there may be water damage your home inspector missed, even if they did alert you to some water damage in the home. The bad news is that water damage can happen to any home at any time, particularly in a home with a basement. The good news is that water damage is treatable by a water damage restoration company and the home you just bought can be restored. Here are signs the house you just bought has water damage.
Some rooms feel squishy
Do some rooms, like the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room, feel squishy underfoot when you walk in them? This can be a sign of water damage in the floors, especially in areas near sinks or plumbing. Water damage can seep under floorboards and carpets so you can't tell at first what's happening until the wood starts to swell and then rot, giving way to the squishy texture beneath your feet.
The home insulation is flat/matted
Water-damaged insulation is a giveaway that the home you just bought has had some water damage in the past. Insulation that is easy to check is in the bathroom and attic and can be either mildewed, matted, flat, or even currently wet to indicate past or current water damage. Pay attention to any home repairs that the previous owner made before they sold that are related to the areas where insulation is ruined, such as new shingles on the roof or having the basement walls waterproofed. These can also be signs your home has experienced some flood damage or other water issues before.
If you do discover that your home has had water issues, then it's best to call a water damage restoration company—such as All Things Restored LLC —to do a full assessment. These professionals will both check the home for water damage and then give you a potential plan for repairs and costs associated with them to help you decide what flood damage restoration efforts will work best for you.