Alva, Florida Water Damage

Finding the source of a water leak in your Alva home

Finding the source of a water leak in your Alva home can be a monumental challenge.

Here in Alva Florida we have a sub tropical weather pattern. That means every year we have several months of torrential rains driven by high winds. During this rainy season we experience daily thunder storms. These wind driven rain storms create extreme conditions that may cause water intrusions into your Alva home that are unique to this area.

There are several problem areas that are common to a typical concrete block construction home with a hip roof here in Alva Florida.

The Alva Roof: Asphalt shingle roofing is held in place with roofing nails and adheres to the neighboring shingle with asphalt sealant. This sealant degrades over time with the intense sun and heat of Alva Florida. Hip roofs, though designed to resist lift in a hurricane situation, create more outside corners on the roof. These outside corners must be capped with cut shingles. This is a weak spot for water penetration. The high winds of a storm can lift a shingle and driving rain penetrates under the shingle to the roof sheathing below. Once water has penetrated to the plywood roof deck it may drip straight down or travel along a roof truss until an obstacle stops the flow and a drip occurs there. The drip penetrates the insulation in your Alva attic space and shows up a spot on your drywall ceiling. If the paper on the drywall or the paper backing on your insulation stays wet more than a few days mold growth can begin. The same process can occur with tile roofing but tiled roofs are more water penetration resistant.

Alva Roof Soffits and flashing: Extreme horizontal winds can drive rain through the roof soffits and into the attic space. Once into the Alva attic space water will wet insulation and the drywall that is your interior ceiling. Similarly lifting of the bottom course of shingles past the flashing will expose the roof sheathing to wetting.

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Most people associate Alva water damage with hurricanes and wind blown rain

In Alva, most people associate water damage with hurricanes and wind blown rain but in fact, most Alva Water Damages occur from plumbing leaks and appliance failure.

The most common sources of Alva Water Damage from water leaks and ruptures are:

- Water heater tank or fitting leak or rupture

- Washing machine supply hose leaks or rupture

- Washing machine pump out hose coming out of drain

- Ice maker line leaks or disconnection

- Toilet and sink supply lines leak or rupture

- Damaged wax ring on toilets

- Cracked tanks on toilets

- Air Handler condensation drain line blockage

- Tears and leaks in A/C ducting causing condensation

- Copper plumbing lines corrosion or solder failure

- Plastic plumbing lines cracks or glued fitting failure

- Gutter backup or improper installation

- Stucco cracks around windows and doors

- Roof shingle cracking from heat and weather damage

- Roof flashing and drip edge damage and cracking of seal

Whether a slow drip or a rush of pressurized water the damage is the same. Alva Water Damage wets flooring, drywall, cabinets, base molding, doors and wood casings. If these building materials are not dried out quickly and thoroughly mold growth can occur in as little as 48 hours. Water will structurally damage particle board in cabinets and furniture. Water will rot and delaminate plywood and OSB. Water will weaken and delaminate the backing of your carpeting. Water will warp and crack base molding and wood interior doors. Water will encourage mold growth on the paper face and backing of drywall. Any water leak in an Alva home must be dried quickly and completely to prevent damage to building materials, furnishings and cabinetry.

The science of drying is called psychometrics. The concept involves a containment known as “the envelope”. In this envelope heat and air movement encourage wet materials to release their water content in the form of humidity. High speed air movers force air across wet surfaces at a shallow angle which creates low pressure at the material surface. This literally pulls the moisture out of the material and into the air in the form of humidity. This humidity is captured by an LGR “low grain refrigerant” dehumidifier and pumped into a sink or floor drain. This dehumidifier can remove 62 pints or 7.75 gallons in 24 hours from the air in the drying envelope.

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Alva Water Damage: After a fire, flood or plumbing failure

Alva Water Damage: After a fire, flood or plumbing failure, fast action to dry out and restore Alva Water Damaged areas can mean saving thousands of dollars in loss structural components, electrical equipment, paper documents and furnishings.

The Alva Water Damage may be imperceptibly slow and minor such as water spots that could eventually mar a surface, or it may be instantaneous and catastrophic such as flooding. However fast it occurs, Alva Water Damage is a very major contributor to loss of property.

Alva Water Damage is typically classified into one of the following three categories:

Category 1 Alva Water Damage – Refers to a source of water that does not pose substantial threat to humans and classified as “Clean Water”. Examples are broken water supply lines, tub or sink overflows or appliance malfunctions that involves water supply lines.

Category 2 Alva Water Damage – Refers to a source of water that contains a significant degree of chemical, biological or physical contaminants and causes discomfort or sickness when exposed or even consumed. Known as “Grey Water”. This type carries micro organisms and nutrients of micro organisms. Examples are toilet bowls with urine (no feces), sump pump failures, seepage due to hydrostatic failure and water discharge from dishwashers or washing machines.

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