3 Ways Your Home Can Suffer Structural Damage

Avoid losing significant money by not preventing or properly repairing your property after a structural damage disaster. Knowing the perils that can cause structural damage will help you quickly overcome them and restore your home to pristine conditions.

alpharettawaterdamageremoval.com gathered the following information about disasters that can wreak havoc on your property, repair the structural damage and prevent future occurrences.

What is Structural Damage

Structural damage is understood as any damage that critically compromises or affects the core integrity of your home or property. This includes the foundation, walls, and roof. When structural damage occurs, the structure itself may no longer support it, leaving it in danger of failure or collapse. Consider the following perils:

Water Structural Damage

A home may have water damage if there’s water seepage in small cracks in the foundation, basement, or crawl space walls. Structural damage can occur when the water damage is ignored or if it’s extensive. This damage may include:

• Rotting wood
• Mold growth
• Bacteria growth
• Rusting metal/steel
• Swelling composite woods
• De-laminating materials like plywood

The home can lose structural stability or sink into the ground.

Water damage can occur from leaking plumbing, pipe bursts, appliance malfunctions, and flooding from severe weather.

Water Damage Repair – Repairing water damage begins with stopping the source of the water. Consider the following steps:

1. Stop the water source
2. Remove pooled water
3. Dry all affected areas and fixtures
4. Replace all structural damage
5. Sanitize the affected areas and fixtures

Tip: Hire a professional water damage removal company to repair and ensure the safety of your home before allowing your loved ones back into it.

Water Damage Prevention – While some catastrophes are unforeseeable, there are measures you can take to reduce the potential for future flooding:

1. Frequently inspect all water-based appliances for proper operation and connections to their water source
2. Have your plumbing and sewage lines inspected annually
3. Immediately repair any small leaks
4. Keep your homeowners and/or flood insurance current

Tip: Keep the contact information of your trusted water removal company stored in your phone or in a conspicuous location in your home.

Tree Structural Damage

The last thing you would expect to cause severe structural damage to your home is your tree. But it can happen, and when it does, be ready to take action. The impact of a falling or wind-driven tree on your home can cause roof and wall damage (obvious) and plumbing or structural damage (not always obvious). After a tree falls on your home, follow these steps:

1. Contact your insurance company
2. Document all damages and destroyed possessions
3. Keep detailed records of emergency services and care
4. Secure your property from suffering further damages (tarp the roof, board the windows, etc.)
5. Get the tree removed legally
6. Hire contractors to repair or rebuild the damages

Tree Damage Repair – Keep in mind that the damage from a tree’s impact can be far-reaching and go undetected. Protect your home by having:

• Structural inspection by a general contractor
• Plumbing inspection by a plumber
• Electrical inspection by an electrician

Tip: Leave nothing to chance after a tree damages your home. Have it repaired and inspected as quickly as possible.

Tree Damage Prevention – Ensure the health and stability of your tree(s) by having them:

• Seasonally pruned
• Fertilized
• Watered
• Annually inspected for disease and infestation

Tip: Hire a certified arborist to evaluate your tree(s) and recommend treatment and care measures.

Fire Structural Damage

One of the most destructive occurrences in a home is a fire. Besides burning carpet, furniture, walls, etc., the water used to fully extinguish a fire can be equally damaging. If a fire occurs in your home, follow these steps once it is extinguished:

1. Contact your insurance company
2. Document all damages and destroyed possessions
3. Keep detailed records of emergency services and care
4. Secure your property from suffering further damages by boarding the windows, repairing doors, etc.)
5. Hire contractors to repair or rebuild the damages

Fire Damage Repair – Fire damage can be incredibly prolific and persist (odors) for some time in your home. As with other catastrophic occurrences, you will need a:

• Structural inspection by a general contractor
• Plumbing inspection by a plumber
• Electrical inspection by an electrician

Fire Damage Prevention – Consider the following measures to reduce or eliminate the potential of a fire breaking out in your home:

• Educate your loved ones about appliance safety (space heaters, toasters, etc.)
• Have your home’s electrical systems inspected and updated when needed
• Install a fire-retardant system in your kitchen
• Keep your fire extinguishers charged and accessible
• Have your fireplace cleaned annually
• Install smoke detectors in your home

Tip: Once you identify potential fire hazards in your home, eliminate them.

Structural Damages

In this article, you discovered several ways your property can suffer severe structural damages, how to get it quickly repaired, and what you can do to prevent future occurrences.

By recognizing potential hazards to your home, you can take action to prevent them and keep your loved ones out of harm’s way.

Ignoring hazards in and around your home can result in catastrophic damages and injuries, potentially adversely affecting your home’s structure and value.

Sources:
fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/fema_protect-your-home_flooding.pdf
floodsmart.gov/document-damage-and-start-clean
ready.gov/home-fires

Alpharetta Water Damage Restoration

2475 Northwinds Pkwy Ste 200a Alpharetta, GA 30009

(678) 505-0266

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