Behind drywall on block walls
Most homes here have drywall fastened to furring strips on the inside of the block. Water can run down that gap and sit at the bottom of the wall where nobody sees it.
A meter reading along the bottom of the wall tells you more than looking at the paint.
Under tile and laminate
Water gets under laminate at the edges and through grout lines on tile. The surface can look dry while the slab underneath stays damp.
Laminate that cups or tile that sounds hollow near a leak is worth checking.
Around the air handler closet
Condensate lines clog, and the pan overflows into the closet floor and nearby walls. In a humid summer that can happen more than once.
Look at the floor around the air handler and the bottom of the closet walls every few months.
Below windows and sliding doors
Wind-driven rain during storms gets past worn seals and tracks, then runs down inside the wall below the opening.
Stains or swelling under windows after a storm usually point to this.
Inside cabinet bases
Sink, dishwasher and ice maker leaks collect in the cabinet base and the floor under it. The doors stay closed, so it goes unnoticed.
Check under the kitchen and bathroom sinks when you check smoke alarm batteries.
