Fall on Long Island: Prevent Water Damage, Mold and Bigger Problems Before They Start

Take It From the People Who See What Happens When Small Problems Become Big Ones

Fall on Long Island is the time for changing leaves, cooler nights and getting your home ready for the months ahead. But it is also one of the most important times of year to look for water intrusion, moisture, drainage problems and hidden damage before fall rain, winter weather and freezing temperatures make those problems worse.

At Goodelman Demolition, we are often called after the damage has already happened.

We have opened walls damaged by water, removed flooring and insulation after leaks, worked in homes affected by mold and handled demolition where potentially hazardous building materials had to be properly identified and addressed. We see firsthand what can happen when a small leak, damp basement, clogged gutter or unnoticed stain is allowed to continue.

So take it from people who know what the inside of a water-damaged home can look like: prevention is almost always easier than demolition, remediation and rebuilding.

Here are some things Long Island homeowners should be checking this fall.

1. Start Outside: Make Sure Water Has Somewhere to Go

One of the best ways to prevent water damage inside your home is to control the water outside of it.

Leaves, pine needles and other fall debris can quickly clog gutters and downspouts. Once a gutter cannot drain properly, rainwater can overflow against siding, fascia and foundations or find its way beneath roofing materials.

Before the leaves really begin to fall, inspect and clean your gutters. Then check them again later in the season.

Pay particular attention to downspouts. They should discharge water away from the foundation rather than allowing it to collect immediately alongside the house.

Also look at the grading around your home. Soil, patios, walkways and landscaped areas should not encourage water to flow toward the foundation.

This matters throughout Long Island.

A homeowner in Massapequa, Wantagh or Merrick who already has a low section of property near the house may discover that one clogged downspout sends a surprising amount of water toward a basement or crawlspace.

In Huntington, Smithtown or Commack, a home with changes in elevation may have a completely different problem: runoff can follow the grade of the property and repeatedly collect against one side of the foundation.

The location may change. The basic principle does not.

Keep water moving away from the house.

2. Don't Ignore the "Little" Basement Leak

A small amount of water in the basement can be easy to dismiss.

Maybe you only see it after a heavy rain. Maybe one corner of the basement feels damp. Perhaps there is a little discoloration at the bottom of a wall.

Don't automatically assume it is harmless.

Look for:

• Water stains or discoloration near the floor
• Damp or soft drywall
• Bubbling or peeling paint
• White mineral deposits on masonry
• Warped baseboards
• Rust around metal supports or appliances
• Damp carpeting or flooring
• A persistent musty odor
• Dark staining behind stored boxes or furniture

The Environmental Protection Agency emphasizes that controlling moisture is the key to controlling mold and recommends drying water-damaged areas and materials within approximately 24 to 48 hours.

That is an important number to remember.

A basement that "always dries eventually" may still remain wet long enough for moisture to get behind finished walls, beneath flooring or into insulation.

And what you can see is not always the entire problem.

3. Check the Areas You Normally Don't Check

Water damage loves hidden spaces.

Fall is a good time to take a flashlight and look around areas of your house that you may not inspect very often.

Check beneath sinks. Look around the water heater. Inspect the area around your washing machine. Look at ceilings below bathrooms. Check around basement windows. Inspect accessible plumbing. Look inside utility closets.

If you have an attic, look at the underside of the roof decking for staining or signs of previous moisture.

If you have a crawlspace, don't assume everything is fine because the rooms above it look normal.

Moisture can exist behind walls, above ceilings, beneath flooring and inside insulation long before obvious damage appears in the living space.

4. That Musty Smell Is Telling You Something

One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is trying to eliminate a musty smell without identifying why the smell exists.

Air fresheners do not solve moisture problems.

Painting over a stained wall does not stop a leak.

Installing new flooring over a damp subfloor does not make the underlying problem disappear.

If part of your basement, bathroom, crawlspace or other area consistently smells musty, investigate it.

The EPA notes that a moldy or musty odor can be an indication of mold growth that should be investigated.

The solution is not simply removing visible mold. The moisture source has to be corrected or the problem can return.

5. Fall Is a Good Time to Look Up

Your roof has just been through a Long Island summer of heat, thunderstorms, wind and humidity. Now it has to face fall rain followed by winter.

From the ground, look for missing, damaged or lifted shingles. Check flashing around chimneys and roof penetrations where visible. Look for gutters pulling away from the house.

Inside, check upper-floor ceilings and the attic for staining.

A small roof leak in Garden City, Mineola or New Hyde Park may initially appear as nothing more than a faint ceiling stain. But if water continues entering the structure, the affected area can eventually include drywall, insulation, framing and finishes.

The same is true in Suffolk County, whether the home is in Babylon, Bay Shore, East Northport, Kings Park, St. James or Patchogue.

Water doesn't care what town you live in. Give it an opening and enough time, and a minor exterior maintenance issue can become an interior demolition project.

6. Pay Attention to Windows and Doors Before Winter

Run your hand around windows and exterior doors on a cool day. Look for drafts, but also inspect the surrounding trim and wall surfaces.

Discoloration, swelling, softness or peeling paint can indicate that moisture has been entering around an opening.

Older windows can also develop significant condensation as temperatures fall.

Condensation should not automatically be dismissed as "just something windows do." Persistent condensation can be a sign of excess indoor humidity, and excessive moisture creates conditions where mold can grow.

Bathrooms, laundry areas, kitchens and basements deserve particular attention as houses become more closed up during colder weather.

7. Watch Indoor Humidity as the House Gets Closed Up

During fall, we transition from open windows and air conditioning to closed windows and heating.

That change can reveal moisture problems.

The EPA recommends keeping indoor relative humidity below 60 percent when possible, with approximately 30 to 50 percent being ideal.

An inexpensive humidity meter can help you identify areas of the house that consistently stay too humid.

Basements are an obvious place to check, but don't forget bathrooms, laundry rooms and poorly ventilated areas.

If a dehumidifier is constantly running and constantly filling, consider that information rather than simply accepting it as normal. There may be a moisture source that needs to be investigated.

8. Don't Forget Your Sump Pump, Drainage and Discharge Lines

If your home relies on a sump pump, fall is not the time to discover that it hasn't been working properly.

Test it.

Check the pit.

Inspect the discharge line.

Make sure the discharge location is not simply sending water back toward your foundation.

The same applies to exterior drains, window wells and other drainage systems.

A drainage system only protects your property when every part of the system is working and the water has a safe place to go.

9. Be Careful When Opening Walls in Older Long Island Homes

This is where prevention and demolition experience really intersect.

If you discover water damage in an older home, don't immediately start tearing walls, ceilings or flooring apart without considering what materials may be present.

New York State notes that asbestos can be found in building products including some insulation, roofing and siding materials, vinyl floor tiles and flooring adhesives, pipe insulation, textured materials and other products.

Asbestos-containing materials are especially concerning when they are damaged or disturbed in a way that can release fibers.

So imagine discovering an old leak in a Levittown basement or renovation area and deciding to immediately tear up old flooring or remove suspect insulation.

Or perhaps you own an older home in Hempstead, Freeport, Glen Cove, Huntington, Northport, Babylon or Bay Shore and discover damaged materials behind a wall.

Don't guess.

New York State recommends contacting properly licensed professionals when asbestos-containing material is suspected and removal or disturbance may be necessary.

Knowing what you are removing before you remove it is an important part of doing demolition correctly.

10. After Water Damage, Speed Matters

If a pipe breaks, a washing machine hose fails, a basement takes on water or a roof suddenly leaks during a storm, don't wait several days to see what happens.

Start addressing the water source immediately, provided it is safe to do so.

Document the damage.

Move unaffected belongings away from the area.

Determine how far the water traveled.

Remember that drywall can wick moisture upward. Carpet padding can remain wet even when the carpet surface feels better. Insulation can hold moisture. Water can travel beneath flooring and into adjoining rooms.

A dry-looking surface does not necessarily mean the materials behind or beneath it are dry.

This is one of the reasons professional water-loss demolition sometimes involves removing materials that don't look badly damaged from the outside.

The objective isn't simply to remove what looks ugly.

It is to expose the affected area, remove materials that cannot be properly restored when appropriate, and allow the structure to be correctly addressed.

11. Know When a DIY Project Has Become Something More

There are plenty of fall maintenance jobs homeowners can handle themselves.

Cleaning accessible gutters, checking downspouts, inspecting plumbing, monitoring humidity and looking for obvious leaks are smart homeowner tasks.

But there is a point where a project becomes something different.

If water has traveled through multiple rooms, if drywall and insulation are saturated, if sewage or contaminated water is involved, if substantial mold growth is present, if structural materials appear damaged, or if potentially asbestos-containing materials may need to be disturbed, stop treating the situation like a weekend cleanup project.

Nassau County's own flood-cleanup guidance notes that extensive flooding can require professional cleanup and restoration and cautions homeowners about structural, electrical and contamination hazards after flooding.

Sometimes knowing when not to start tearing things apart is just as important as knowing how to tear them apart.

12. Take a Walk Around Your Property This Weekend

You don't need to be a contractor to spot warning signs.

Spend 20 minutes walking around your Long Island home.

Look at your roof.

Look at the gutters.

Follow your downspouts.

Look where they discharge.

Check the grading around the foundation.

Look into window wells.

Walk through the basement.

Open the utility-room door.

Look under sinks.

Check around toilets, tubs and showers.

Look at ceilings beneath bathrooms.

Smell the basement.

Check the attic.

Test the sump pump.

Those few minutes could help you discover a problem while it is still small.

Take It From the Experts Who See What Happens When You Wait

At Goodelman Demolition, we don't just know how to remove walls, floors, ceilings and damaged building materials.

We know what causes those materials to need removal in the first place.

We have seen what water can do behind drywall. We have seen what happens when moisture isn't properly addressed. We understand the complications that can arise when mold, asbestos or other environmental concerns are discovered during a demolition project.

That experience gives us some simple advice for Long Island homeowners this fall:

Pay attention to the small signs.

A water stain is telling you something.

A musty smell is telling you something.

A wet basement corner is telling you something.

A soft piece of drywall is telling you something.

Don't wait for a small warning to become a major project.

And if you do discover that the problem has gone beyond ordinary home maintenance, that's when you call Goodelman.

From Nassau County to Suffolk County, our trucks are ready when you need us.

Water damage. Mold-related demolition. Asbestos concerns. Interior demolition. Structural demolition. Emergency cleanup and removal.

When something has to come out, make sure it's removed safely, correctly and by a team that understands what may be hiding behind the surface.

One call to clean it all.