Moisture Is Not Your House's Friend

Did you know "moist" is the most hated word in the English language? It's science. "Moist" can be a bad word when it comes to your home, too. Moisture can wreak havoc in your house when it gets in the wrong places. These are some of the wrong places:

Under the carpet.

Yes, those are mushrooms growing in the carpet. Prolonged exposure to moisture has allowed fungus to form including actual mushrooms.

Along an exterior wall.

In this photo, the patio is slightly out of level, causing water to pool along the exterior wall. Again, prolonged exposure to moisture may have allowed it to creep up the interior of the wall. There could be water damage and/or mold in the wall. 

In the shower pan.

 One of the tests a home inspector does is a shower pan stress test. We plug the shower and let it run for about an hour, allowing water to build up. If no water is leaking, the shower pan is doing its job, directing excess water down the drain. In this photo, you can see the caulking is missing in the floor, indicating the shower will likely not hold water. If this shower is in use, it will have been leaking into the walls.

Under the floor.

In this video, what might have been mistaken for a minor aesthetic issue revealed a much more costly problem.

Over time, moisture can break down building structures and allow dangerous mold to accumulate - bad for both your health and your wallet. If you suspect you may have water intrusion in your home, you can have a Moisture Analysis Test done, which can help identify where the water is and what experts are needed to repair the issue.