How Water Leaks Start in Homes
how building knowledge helps find water leaks
Common Places Water Leaks Begin
Some of the most common areas where water enters homes include:
• Roof flashings and roof penetrations
• Balcony surfaces and balcony door thresholds
• Window frames and wall penetrations
• External cladding joins
• Plumbing penetrations through walls or floors
Even small construction gaps in these areas can allow water to slowly enter the building over time.
Why Water Leaks Can Be Difficult to Identify
One of the biggest challenges with water leaks is that the location where water becomes visible inside the home is often not where the water first entered the building.
Water may travel through wall cavities, roof spaces or structural components before finally appearing somewhere else inside the home.
Because of this, identifying the true source of a water leak usually requires careful investigation and an understanding of how homes are constructed.
Understanding how water leaks begin helps explain why investigation before repair is often necessary.
Once the true source of the water entry point has been identified, the correct repair solution can then be determined.
Understanding how water moves through a home is key to identifying the true source of a problem. In many cases, a professional water leak investigation is needed to accurately determine where the water is entering and how it is travelling through the structure.