westchester water damage

Water Damage & Leaky Windows In Westchester

Water Damage From Leaky Window Units 

During a hot summer like this year’s, window units can be a godsend. If your home doesn’t have central air, you can buy an inexpensive workaround. Window units can be even more effective at cooling larger rooms than floor-based air conditioning. They are designed to work 24 hours a day during a warm spell which can also create a lot of condensation.

westchester water damage
Water is dripping from the ceiling in a Westchester home.

Water Damage Cleanup In Westchester, NY

Unfortunately, window air conditioners can inadvertently bring lots of water in as well as cold air. There are several things that might go wrong that could lead to problems. The volume of water on the window sill or on the frame could cause permanent damage to the framing and could lead to a mold or mildew problem. In general, your AC unit should only produce condensation while it is running and the amount generated should dry up within a day or two. If your air conditioner is leaking lots of water inside your home, you need to investigate. Immediately address any issue with your air conditioning unit or you risk water damage that will almost always be more expensive than an HVAC service call. 

Common Issues That Cause Your AC Unit To Leak

If you have an older AC unit, the drain pan could be rusted or corroded, leading water to leak through the pan. Another common cause of leaking water is a blocked condensate pipe. This line should take condensation from the overflow pan out via the drainpipe. When the line gets plugged up with dirt, dust, or mold, that water will begin to back up, resulting in water flowing into the house instead of outside. 

HVAC pros recommend that you replace the filters every 45-90 days for maximum efficiency. If your home is in a dusty area or you suffer from allergies, you might want to consider changing it every month. Dirty ones can block airflow over the evaporator coil which can lead it to get too cold and freeze up. When the ice melts, it can drip excess water into the pan and overflow, making filter maintenance far more important than meets the eye. 

Possible Damage To Your Windows, Siding, Or Foundation

Window units usually direct any drips onto the ground outside below your window. Unfortunately, even a properly functioning unit can cause water damage if your home’s siding isn’t in good shape. Improperly draining window units can allow condensation to pool in your window sill, causing rot and structural damage. Eventually, this can allow water to consistently seep into the ground beneath your home and cause foundation damage over time. 

When Any Moisture Damages Your Home

Not only problems from A/C units, whenever any standing water builds up on your windows it can lead to damage. Check the sills, frames, walls, and baseboards below the windows for signs of water damage. Stains, streaks, crumbling drywall, warped baseboards, or rotten wood trim are all signs that moisture has breached the protective layer of your home. And the damage that you don’t see can be more destructive than the cosmetic mess that you do see. If you think your home has water damage, call in another set of expert eyes to check. 

New Crystal Restoration can be your extra set of eyes with experience in detecting, repairing, and restoring after water damage. They have the skills and resources to clean up any water damage due to leaking windows. But they can also handle larger problems… 

For Water Damage Cleanup In Westchester 

… like floods, frozen pipes, ice dams, and failed hot water heaters. When not handled quickly and properly, water can damage the structure of the home, ruin your possessions and put your family at risk from mold. 

If you have a disaster in Westchester County or the surrounding areas, call our team right away. You’ll get a real, live person on our emergency response line, and quickly start making things better. During the process, New Crystal Restoration will use non-toxic, eco-friendly products and cleaning methods that fully and effectively restore your property.

We’re always happy to talk to you about residential and commercial water damage restoration. If you have questions about disaster response services or our suite of environmental services simply fill out the form at newcrystalrestoration.com and a team member will respond to you promptly.