When water begins to leak into your home from the outside, many common reasons, like a roof leak, are usually explored; but the water could be coming from a few other ignored places. Routine maintenance goes a long way in preventing issues like water intrusion, but you need to know where exactly to look; specific problems may fly under the radar. Dreaded water stains in drywall, bubbling paint, and in some cases, even the sound of dripping water can be alarming, and finding the source can turn into an expensive hunt.
Exterior Sealant Wear
Exterior sealants used around windows and doors can be very resilient to water, but they may be compromised after a while.
Signs of damaged exterior caulking or sealant around your windows or doors often include visual cracking, flaking, and a dry and fragile appearance. Re-caulking and sealing around windows and doors are always highly recommended. We recommend replacing sealants every 3-5 years, or possibly sooner if it is a new home subject to settling. We understand homeowners are more educated and savvier than ever before, and some will be able to tackle this independently, but hiring a professional is always a viable option.
Railings, Exterior Fixtures, Pool Cages
Railings installed on second-story balconies, exterior fixtures, and pool cages are commonly attached to homes with various bolts and screws.
Often when these holes are drilled into the home’s exterior, they are also correctly water-proofed by the professionals installing them. Unfortunately, not all exterior fixtures, pool cages, or railings are installed with the same degree of quality and with premium materials. Various sealants and caulking are also used in the process that must be inspected periodically, just as the ones for the windows and doors. With these leaks, it is common for the water to travel and appear somewhere further away from the source, making it hard to trace and remedy.
Don’t Hunt, Inspect
It is essential to understand that the items mentioned here, and any other reason stated anywhere else online, are simply possibilities of where water can be coming in from. After reading this article or any other article online, spending money on repairs that you believe are the reasons behind the water intrusion is not recommended. We do not recommend that you take any expensive guesses. It is best to hire a professional to inspect the leak and accurately trace and track where the water is coming from, then form a concise and accurate plan to remedy it.
