Water Damage on the West Coast

As a California-based water damage company, Superior Restoration has gone through its share of ups and downs during its ten years in business. California is famous for its mild and temperate weather, and for the most part we don't have to worry about a lot of the natural disasters that come with the seasons in other parts of the country. Hurricanes, snow, and flooding caused by heavy rainstorms are all relatively uncommon over here, making some of the most common sources of water damage few and far between. Even when flooding happens, many homes in Southern California, if not all, were constructed without basements, removing yet another common area for water damage to happen.


So what does that leave us with then?

A lot of water damage scenarios are caused by overflowing appliances: toilets, sinks, dishwashers, washers, and so on. This can be caused either by simple negligence or a malfunction in the equipment itself, and depending on when the incident occurs, can be either a simple Class 1 job or evolve into a full-blown Class 3 restoration. Time makes all the difference in the world! If you are fortunate enough to be in a position to notice the water damage, take every possible step to prevent it. A few hours can mean thousands of dollars and days of time when all's said and done.

Other types of water damage can be more difficult to deal with. With the housing market slowly on the rebound, many potential home buyers are now looking at short sales or foreclosure properties in their area. Unfortunately, many of these properties' previous owners may not have maintained their home regularly, causing water damage in the form of leaky appliances or broken pipes. When a leak has gone for months unaddressed, the damage is typcially so severe that restoration is nearly impossible, making replacement and reconstruction the only recourse.

That's not to say natural disasters are completely out of the question, though. Granted, winters in Southern California are much milder than almost anywhere else, which has caused the majority of residents to skimp on the typical winter preparations that other parts of the country go through. While East Coast homeowners may be beefing up on their insulation and double-checking piping to make sure they don't freeze, Southern California residents typically don't worry about these things, so if heavy rains do happen to come, they can potentially cause more problems than those who were prepared for it.

Extremely heavy storm fronts tend to be uncommon in Southern California even during the winter. However, when they come, they tend to be rather severe, leading to days or weeks of constant rain and high winds. The combination of these factors can start to add up as time passes. Older properties without proper drainage or storm runoffs can quickly accumulate water that seeps into the foundation or flooring of a home. Even newer homes that have not had roof maintenance performed in a while can suffer from water damage from leaks that spring in the ceiling due to excessive rain.

So just because we're all on the West Coast, don't count out water damage as a potential issue during the winter months. If the forecast calls for possible heavy storms, take some time out of your day to go through your household and make some basic safety checks and maintenance. A little time spent now can save you quite a bit of time and money down the road! If you are a home buyer and are not sure how the previous owners left their property, always go over the home inspection completely with the inspector until you fully understand the extent of any potential leaks or damage previously caused, so as to prevent having to spend more than needed to address any possible problems before closing.

Superior Restoration is a full service water damage firm in Temecula, providing restoration services to the Inland Empire for over ten years.