"Just a Small Leak"
With the recent rains and driving winds we noted a small water stain on our bedroom ceiling. No big deal, really, but we decided to check it with our infrared thermography camera. What we saw with the camera was far larger than the small spot. The water had spread way past the water stain, all the way to the eave. Finding the source of the leak was not hard. John climbed into the attic and found the area wet under a decorative dormer window of the attic. It will require some new flashing and caulking to make it water-tight again.
The important part right now is to dry the wet materials quickly since mold can set in within 24-48 hours. We pulled out the insulation in the area and set a drying unit there in the attic. We are also drying from the bedroom side of the ceiling. Hopefully we have caught it in time and won't need to open it for removal of sheetrock. We did find that the cardboard used to block insulation from the attic vents was soaking wet and quickly removed it.
Here are pics of the cardboard and the sheetrock top from the attic side.
This is the wet cardboard that had been used to block the insulation from covering the attic vents
This is the top side of the sheetrock seen from the attic over the bedroom. Uncovering it to dry quickly with fans is essential if caught early before any mold growth sets in.
Just remember, what you see visibly could be just the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to water damage so check it out before it's too late to salvage and dry, and before you get hit with a toxic water damage mold condition.
If you are unsure of the extent of the water damage, call us to scope it and moisture map for you. We charge a site visit fee starting at $125 and will include IR Thermography, moisture readings, photos and recommended drying or remediation steps in your report. Call us at Environmental Services Group Carolinas for a free phone consultation at 704-975-6740 if you're in our service area.