flooding is a common disaster that can cause millions of dollars’ worth of damage every year. Although no property can be completely protected against flooding, here are the Top 6 causes of water damage & floods in your home or office.

1. Sewer Backups: Blockage of the lateral pipe is the most common cause of sewer back up and is usually the result of solid objects being flushed. Other causes are grease buildup, sanitary products, flushing disposable diapers and other dirt and debris down the toilet. Tree roots are another cause of backups. The roots can penetrate the pipes at the joints and as the tree continues to grow, it causes blockage. Over time is can crack or break the pipe, thus leading to water damage and flooding.

2. Faulty appliance leaks: Such as those that may occur in your washing machine, dishwasher & disposal. One can experience them becoming faulty for a variety of reasons, but the most common occur as a result of a burst in the water hose, a crack, a leak, or appliance failure, due the age of the appliance itself.

3. Plumbing leak: Could be caused by a burst in the water main line, cracked pipes, loose connections, excessive pressure and aging pipes. Plumbing leaks are a leading cause of water damage.

4. Air Conditioner leak. You will notice a problem the moment you see water starting to pool on your ceiling, the culprit could be a clogged condensate drain causing the leak, get it looked at by an a/c professional & call a restoration company to dry out the structure & repair your ceiling.

5. Toilet leaks can happen the moment you least expect it due to a break in the water supply line, a clogged & overflowing toilet, a cracked tank or even a leaking seal at the base of your toilet could all be potential cause for water damage in your home.

6. Water Heater leaks may occur as a result of sediment buildup, a corroded tank bottom, anode rods that wear out or something as simple as temperature settings that are too high. All of which could lead to water damage.

7. Storm Damage is common during the early summer as a result of Monsoon season. High winds, rain and haboobs can cause significant water damage &flooding to the interior and exterior of your home. Often times the roof of a home will suffer the most damage, springing a leak that penetrated into the home or office, thus causing water damage.

Water damage is something that seems easy to remediate yourself, but more times than not it takes a professional who is trained in water cleanup & structural dry to get your water damage under control FAST so mold doesn’t begin to grow as a result of the heat and moisture. blog-img-2Rapid dry out and fast action are the components to protect your property from water damage.

For professional water, mold, store fire damage or bio-hazard cleanup & additional restoration services, please contact EHS Restoration when you need help, as we are Arizona’s trusted disaster damage specialists.