Water damage in your Minneapolis, MN home can be a huge headache. Water can cause a variety of problems from warping and rotting wood to peeling wallpaper and ruining drywall, carpeting and rugs.
While those are the cosmetic and structural problems related to water in your home, a major health concern results when that water causes mold to form inside a house.
Mold can form in your home when stagnant water combines with naturally occurring mold spores in the air to create a growth of mold.
Common health problems associated with mold include aggravation of asthma, skin and eye irritation, symptoms similar to hay fever such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes and a skin rash.
In extreme cases, “black mold” can grow which is considered a toxin and can cause loss of energy, bouts of coughing and even extreme nausea and vomiting.
That is why keeping water out of a house is such an important element in construction, and why firms specializing in construction defect identification and repair — such as AMEK — are in demand.
Water enters a home from both the outside and within.
Some examples of how water can infiltrate a home from the outside:
- Cracks in stucco siding around windows and doors allows water to penetrate into the framing.
- Ice dams can allow water to seep underneath shingles and penetrate into attics and ceilings.
- Improperly installed siding can allow water to get behind the siding and soak into the home’s framing or insulation.
- A cracked foundation can allow water to enter a basement.
While water can enter a home from the outside, it can also result from a problem inside a home, including:
- A leak in a water line or faucet.
- A burst pipe.
- A backed up drain line.
- Coils on an air conditioner.
- Condensation on windows pooling and collecting.
AMEK’s construction defect division includes specialists at identifying causes of water damage. Our knowledgeable team members are called upon as expert witnesses in court cases. In addition to using that expertise in remodeling, AMEK also has a new emergency response division for water, storm or fire damage, ensuring your home is properly cleaned up after suffering sudden damage.
Our services include inspecting your home for mold. Sometimes mold can be seen on a wall or floor, other times it lives in air ducts or behind walls. If discovered, cleanup includes removing the water and then mold remediation to remove existing mold.