“The fall of dropping water wears away the Stone.” – Lucretius
In 2001, a midwestern couple paid $446,000 for its dream home. They had saved money for years, all to buy a house with every desired amenity. Their builder – known for its luxurious homes – even referred to the housing community as “a little slice of heaven.” They moved into their stately home and experienced several years of perfection – seemingly. Then, things began to go astray.
Rain, humidity, condensation, moisture – use any term – had taken up residence in the dream home. Water over weeks, months, and then years began to take its toll. The couple didn’t realize the monster within the walls for some time. Then telltale signs appeared, like a few of the signs below:
- A strange, musty smell that becomes a permanent addition to the home.
- Floors that are no longer even.
- Cracks beginning to show on the outside of the home.
- Window frames with gaps.
- Mildew and mold popping up in places around the basement.
- Cracks and crevices appearing in basement walls.
- Basement flooring beginning to sink.
- Soil around the base of the home beginning to sink.
- Shifting of the overall home.
Mostly, water means life and health. As French scientist and explorer Jacques Cousteau once said, “Water is an essential fluid on which all lives depend.” However, water seeping inside a home and becoming trapped is just the opposite. It is not only unhealthy and dangerous but can kill.
One of the worst effects of water in a home is mold growth. In as little as one day, mold spores will grow. Imagine how much mold can accumulate in a year – or over several years. Mold is fungi. It reproduces in multicellular structures. These structures produce mold spores that are found inside a home and outside. While mold is found most everywhere, it requires moisture to grow.
When water in one’s home leads to mold, it is a concerning situation. Mold is extremely dangerous as it can result in numerous health concerns. On the lower end, mold can cause allergy-like symptoms. A worse effect is considerable respiratory issues. On the high end, mold can even cause lifelong neurological damage to a home’s inhabitants and even death.
Children are especially susceptible to mold; they develop respiratory symptoms because of a fungal mold called Penicillium. This can lead to an ongoing cough and wheeze and increased respiratory problems. Some children may be more likely to develop asthma, according to studies.
Mold also can cause eye and throat irritation, congestion, coughing, and skin issues. Some people with lung illnesses and poor immune systems may face higher risk of serious effects.
In addition to causing mold, water attracts other creatures: pests. A pest infestation can be caused by the moist places prevalent throughout a water-filled home. Water softens building materials throughout the home, and pests eat these materials or burrow into them. Pests like termites, cockroaches, mosquitoes, and more can infiltrate and propagate in a home, causing structural damage but also impact the health of the homeowners.
Additionally, water can cause structural damage. Over time, water trapped in a home leads to wood rot along with damage to other building materials, for example, peeling paint and corroding metal. Floors may become uneven, which causes gaps in door and window frames. Some strange things also may occur, like the home in which a mushroom literally sprouted in a child’s bedroom.
Sometimes, an entire housing community can suffer water damage for various reasons. In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, many homes suffered widespread damage due to water.
“This is of epidemic proportions,” said Rob Lunny, owner of Lunny Building Diagnostics in Bucks County, who has inspected more than 2,000 homes in the region for water damage since 2013.
Many homes that experience severe water damage may be repaired and salvaged; however, many homes might not. Typically, a home is a person’s greatest asset, one that provides security for their family and is the culmination of a lifetime’s work. Experiencing water-related structural damage and impact on health can devastate a family and its financial future. It is of the utmost importance that people making repairs or building new homes are sure that their builders are using a highly skilled and respected foundations contractor like Rock Foundations of Fenton, Michigan.
If repairing a home, people should contact the experts: Rock Foundations. This type of work -finding leaks, repairing all cracks and crevices, and installing waterproofing foundation – is what Rock Foundation provides.
Rock Foundations employs only the mostly highly trained and skilled employees – professionals who have spent their careers fixing water issues and preventing them in the first place with expertly installed foundations. Rock Foundations, which has served Fenton and surrounding communities for years, provides topnotch service. They are prompt, reliable, knowledgeable, and highly skilled. People in the area know that Rock Foundations is the company to call for water problems or to provide damp-proofing products. Rock Foundations even will inspect basement walls, crawl spaces, and drain tile systems. Further, people building new homes should request that their builders use the expert services of Rock Foundations. Its proud reputation for quality and dependability is known throughout the area.
When renowned forensic engineer Josepth Lstiburek once gave a presentation, he said, “When I was going through the ranks way back when, people had taught me that the three biggest problems in buildings are water, water, water. “
Don’t let your largest and most important asset – your home – become victim to water. If you notice any symptoms like musty odor, mold, uneven floors, gaps in frames, and cracks in the foundation, call Rock Foundations immediately. And if you are planning to build your dream home, make sure your builder uses Rock Foundations.
As the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius warned, “The fall of dropping water wears away the stone.” Don’t let water wear away your stone and your home. Call Rock Foundations today.
