What is the very worst thing that you could ever imagine happening to your home? It’s a question that not many people seem to ask themselves, but when you start to think about it, there seem to be so many different things that could destroy your home and all of your beloved possessions. Fire is a common theme in people’s answers, as is theft – two awful things that you would certainly never wish on anyone. They are definitely the most common when you ask that question to people, but what many of us do not realize is that neither of them is actually the most likely thing to happen in real life. That surprises people, and they are never able to guess correctly the number one cause of damage to people’s homes: and that is water damage.

You may not think that water damage is that bad. Theft is a very horrible thing to happen to a person; the idea that someone else has been rummaging through your possessions and taking the ones that they think has the most value is sickening. Studies have shown that the first thing that most people want to do when they have been burgled is to start cleaning all of the door handles, because someone that they do not know has walked through their home with malicious intent. However, most things of value can be replaced. Laptops, computers, televisions . . . they can all be purchased new again.

Fire is certainly very destructive. It can completely lay waste to everything in its path, and it can be very traumatizing for people if they are physically there, watching the damage take place. Thankfully we live in the world where we have excellent fire prevention through the fire services, men and women who have dedicated their lives to helping those who are suffering through a fire. But on the other hand, fires are actually quite rare and do not often occur in the home. They are not something that most of us will ever have to deal with, thank goodness, and so most people will never have to face them.

Water damage, on the other hand, is something that almost every single one of us will experience in our lifetimes – and at least once will need to do water damage repairs. Unlike thieves, who will take items of worth,  damage often takes things of emotional value. Letters, paintings, soft toys, favorite clothes . . . all of these sorts of things are the ones that will go. You cannot replace the last birthday card that you ever received from your grandparents, or the first real painting that your child ever made. You cannot repair anything that has been damaged by water, most of the time – and that is because water damage causes hidden scars.

That is exactly the problem with water damage – it is hidden. It can be happening for months before you even realize that it is happening, even years if it is occurring somewhere out of sight. It can cause mold to grow and cause respiratory issues, and you will never even know why. It can slowly creep across a room, or a home, and it will almost always be too late for you once you realize what is actually going on. The hidden scars of water damage mean that even though you can technically still keep that graduation certificate, it is so badly damaged that you are forced to throw it away. The hidden scars of water damage mean that even though you got married in it, because of the mold you have to through your wedding dress away.

So next time you’re at home, do a quick check for water damage. You’ll be glad you did.

Reference: http://orange-restoration.com/services/san-diego-water-damage/