When it rains, it pours, and if you’ve ever dealt with water getting into your home or business, you know how frustrating (and expensive) it can be to see pooling water. Water is sneaky and finds the weakest spots on your roof, windows, and doors. This water intrusion leads to soggy carpets, moldy walls, and rotting window frames.
If you’ve had water damage or even a full-on flood, getting help from a good flood damage restoration team is key to bouncing back and avoiding more headaches. But not all water problems are the same.
In this guide, we’ll examine the many causes of water intrusion, but first, let’s distinguish between water intrusion, water damage, and flooding.
Water Intrusion vs. Water Damage vs. Flooding
Water intrusion is different from water damage, and both are different from flooding. Understanding the subtle differences can help you determine where the water comes from and ensure you bring the right cleanup crew to get things back to normal. Below is a breakdown of the differences:
- Water Intrusion: Intrusion happens when water enters your home or building unintentionally. It’s often a slow or hidden issue, especially common during heavy rain.
- Water Damage: Water intrusion can cause water damage, which includes warped wood, mold growth, stained walls, or structural weakening. Even a small amount of moisture can lead to significant damage over time if left untreated.
- Flooding: Flooding happens when a significant and often sudden volume of water enters your home or business, such as during flash floods, broken pipes, or severe storms. It usually causes immediate and visible damage and may require emergency cleanup.
No matter which one you’re dealing with, the sooner you identify the source, the easier it is to prevent further damage and costly repairs.
Common Causes of Water Intrusion During Heavy Rain
You must be aware of many causes of water intrusion to prevent severe water damage. To help you stay ahead of potential problems, here are some of the most common causes of water intrusion during heavy rain:
- Clogged or Poorly Maintained Gutters: Clogged gutters are the number one culprit when it comes to water intrusion. Because they’re out of sight, they often go unnoticed until they overflow or back up and cause significant damage. When gutters are filled with leaves, dirt, or debris, rainwater has nowhere to go. Instead of draining away from your home, it spills over the edges, running down siding and pooling near the foundation. Over time, this can lead to basement leaks, foundation cracks, and even structural damage.
Prevention Tip: Clean your gutters at least twice a year and ensure downspouts extend several feet away from your foundation. - Cracked or Missing Roof Shingles: Your roof is the first line of defense against bad weather and heavy rains. It is meant to shed water, not hold on to it by design. However, water can seep into the attic and walls if your roof has missing or cracked shingles. Over time, this can lead to mold, ceiling stains, or even structural rot in the roof decking.
Prevention Tip: Your roof is far above your line of vision, so you can’t see it. However, inspecting it annually and after a significant storm is essential. Look for peeling and ripped shingles or, in the case of a flat roof, a leaky coating. - Improper Grading Around the Foundation: When rain starts to pour, it needs a place to go, and if the drainage surrounding your home doesn’t move the water away from the house, you’ll get water intrusion. Poorly engineered grading causes rainwater to pool around the base of your home, where it can seep into basements, crawl spaces, or even crack the foundation. Adequate drainage is necessary to keep your home dry.
Prevention Tip: If needed, regrade your landscaping so it slopes away from your home or other buildings. French drains are also a good way to draw water away from your foundation and home. - Failed Window or Door Seals: Old window and door seals crack and break down over time and must be replaced. Water can penetrate these weakened seals during heavy rain, leading to wet window sills, peeling paint, or water-stained walls and floors.
Prevention Tip: Check the caulking and weather stripping around your doors and windows. Look for cracks and general breakdown of the material. Reseal with new sealants as soon as possible. - Foundation: Cracks in your home’s foundation aren’t good for many reasons, including allowing water to enter during heavy rain. Water will always follow the path of least resistance, and cracks give it a direct route indoors.
Prevention Tip: Seal any visible cracks in your foundation immediately with a waterproof sealant. If water continues to enter, consult a foundation repair specialist. - Poorly Installed or Aging Siding: Siding keeps heat in and protects against bad weather. However, if the siding in your home has been poorly installed or is old, you can get leaks. If your siding is loose, cracked, or improperly installed, rain can work behind the panels and soak into your home’s sheathing and walls.
Prevention Tip: Maintain your siding, replace any torn or degrading panels quickly, and ensure they are tightly sealed. Also, remember to inspect behind downspouts and other attachment points. - Overflowing or Faulty Window Wells: Homes with basement windows have specially engineered window wells designed to keep water away from the window glass. But if those wells get clogged with leaves or debris, or don’t have a proper drain, they can fill with rainwater and leak directly into the basement.
Prevention Tip: Clean out window wells regularly and ensure drains are clear. Installing clear covers can also help keep debris (and water) out.
Water Intrusion Cleanup Specialists in Denver
Denver is known for its unpredictable weather, especially fast-moving rainstorms that can trigger flash flooding. Sometimes, even a well-sealed home or business can suffer from water intrusion. And if your property hasn’t been waterproofed, the damage can escalate quickly into significant water damage or even full-scale flooding.
At Advanced 24/7 Restoration, help is always just a call or click away. Call us anytime at (720) 722-4777. We’re available 24/7 for emergency water intrusion, damage, or flooding issues.
Or, if you prefer, send us a message, and a member of our team will respond promptly.