How to Tell If a House Has Flood Damage

If you are planning to buy a home, you will need to inspect it for flood damage. If you use a home inspector, that person will do this inspection for you. To do this inspection yourself may save you fees by eliminating any homes with flood damage from your list before you pay for an inspector to come and look at other things.

Step 1 - Perform a Quick Inspection

You will want to perform a quick inspection through the entire house and make notes on anything that sticks out. You can look at these items more closely a little later.

Step 2 - Examine the Outside

When looking at the ground close to the house, check for uneven ground levels. If you find any sections of earth that drop several inches abruptly, you have encountered a cause for concern. Water could have created those cavities in the past.

Water stains on the foundation or siding that go all the way around the outside of the home could also be a big clue to flood damage.

Step 3 - Examine the Inside

On the inside of the home, look along the bottom of the walls for any discoloration. You can also tap the wall with the mallet. If the mallet sinks in, water has damaged the drywall.

Look at the floor joists in the basement. While most people will repair water damage, they sometimes overlook the floor joists. The joists should be a uniform color with no dark spots. They should not be bowed. Water that stays on the floor for too long due to flood damage will cause the wood to warp and bow.