Florida gets an inordinate number of heavy storms due to being bordered on three sides by open waters. Your Tampa-area home will likely suffer through a number of storms in its lifetime. A real risk can be hidden storm damage that goes undetected and unrepaired. Beryl Project Engineering performs quality home inspections throughout Tampa and Hillsborough County, FL. Here are the most common forms of hidden storm damage discovered in Hillsborough County Home Inspections.
Water Damage
Perhaps the most common and most pervasive forms of hidden damage after a storm passes through are caused by water. It only takes a slight opening in your home for water to leak through. Water leaks have a tendency to penetrate in more than one area of your home, causing damage in ways the homeowner may never see.
It is wise to have a professional home inspection after any heavy storm passes through your area. This is important when your home sustains obvious damage, but even slight damage can allow water to penetrate and cause many more problems that are not so obvious. A thorough investigation often reveals damaged materials behind the scenes. Common locations include:
- Brick, mortar, siding
- Sheetrock walls, ceilings
- Paint, wallpaper
- Insulation
- Inner walls
- Flooring
- Floor joists
- Roofing joists
- Roofing structural components
- Basements, crawlspaces
Sometimes it is necessary to use advanced measures to detect water damage. Beryl Project Engineering inspectors use Thermal Imaging equipment that can detect a wide variety of hidden problems, including wet materials and other forms of water damage that can be hidden behind walls, floors and other components.
Structural Damage
A common failing of repair contractors is repairing outer, obvious damage while leaving inner structural damage intact. These components are not seen but they are vital to the structural integrity of your home. Some materials, like roof joists and beams, can be easily dried. Others may have sustained more invasive damage that simply drying out will not remedy.
Other hidden structural damage can occur behind intact surfaces due to the pervasiveness of water intrusion. A good example of this is the outer portion of inner walls behind brick and mortar. The outside brick and mortar seams may appear fine. But water intrusion that has occurred at the roof line or soaked through cracked mortar can penetrate and ruin the inner insulation and wallboard.
Soaked interior wall materials can grow mold and create hazardous living conditions inside the home and never be detected. Family members will begin having respiratory and allergy trouble for unexplained reasons. The outer brick façade becomes weakened over time. This is another type of hidden damage that can be discovered by the use of Thermal Imaging equipment.
Component/Systems Damage
Another area of hidden storm damage discovered in Hillsborough County home inspections involves the major components and systems of the home. Not all damage to these components is obvious or visible. They may even still operate but have hidden problems that can cause an eventual catastrophic failure. A home inspector may suspect a problem and recommend a specialist to perform a more thorough inspection of the potential damage.
Common components and systems that can often have hidden damage include:
- HVAC – ducts, lines, furnace or outdoor unit
- Electrical – pinched wires, compromised junctions, shorted components
- Plumbing – leaking pipes or fixtures, broken fixtures, damaged joints
- Appliances – water damage, electrical damage, leaks
Reliable Hillsborough County Home Inspections by Beryl
Beryl Project Engineering in Tampa provides reliable Hillsborough County home inspections using the latest technology and adhering to the highest standards of quality. Our Master Inspector can use Thermal Imaging equipment and other tools to reveal hidden damage from storms that can pose significant problems if not repaired.
Contact Beryl Project Engineering today for home inspections throughout Tampa, Hillsborough County and the surrounding communities.
