Methods to Detect if Your Water Damage is Old or New

Repairs for water damage is a typical problem for any house, and every now and then the problem is apparent and other times it's ambiguous. Things like flooding toilets, sinks and bathtubs are typical issues associated with water damage and you know there is an issue when this happens. But pipes run all over your house, and this involves places you can't see such as between the floors and inside the walls. Unfortunately a pipe leaking in an unseen space can happen. It's an aggravating obstacle because you can't see the leak and you won't know before the water damage appears.

For these spaces that aren't visible, it's challenging to establish how old the damage generated by water is. After all, you could have a pipe that's been slightly leaking for a period of time but because it's not in plain sight, you don't know how long. There's no way to determine exactly how long the problem has persisted, but there are some methods to approximate the age of the water damage.

A Step-by-Step On Water Damage - Establish its Age

You can figure out whether the damage generated by water is old or new by following these steps:

• History of the House: Keep a record of any spots on your walls or ceilings and take into account any outside influences such as a heavy rain storm. Damages and spots caused by water can take some time to pop up if the leak is small. Older properties could already have some water spots that were sustained previously. So it's fundamental to take note of the spots you observe while indicating whether this is old water damage or old water damage.
• History of the House: When your house has any spots from water damage, it's fundamental to take note of them when finding out whether your water damage is old or new. Also, you'll want to be apprehensive of any weather that could bring hidden water damage to the surface like heavy rain. Know your house, because pipes with a slow drip can take some time to surface, and if you understand what's new and what's old, you'll be able to identify your problem quicker.
• Touch the Spot: You'll be able to establish whether the damage generated by water is old or new just by touching it. An old spot is going to be squishy because the material has taken in a lot of water. A new spot is going to be moist, but the material will still feel solid.
• Look for Rings: You know how rings on a tree show the age of the tree? The same method can be used for spots produced by water. An old water spot will have rings around it. They will also be discolored because the area gets soaked then dries and gets soaked again then dries again, etc. A new spot will be dark with zero rings circling it.
• Examine the Materials: Get to know the material in your house, because water and moisture can get trapped by tiles and thick paint. So if water spots show up through these, this indicates the accumulation of moisture has remained for a period of time.
• Mold Inspection: Bacteria, or mold, growth usually indicates that the damage generated by water has lingered for approximately two to three days.
• Deterioration: Your material won't decay from the first occurrence of water damage. And if there has been decomposition, this indicates your material has been vulnerable to repeated flooding or standing water.

Get a Professional Water Damage Restoration Specialist

For any water damage restoration emergencies, contact Paul Davis. When there's a pipe dripping that you can't detect, it's essential to reach out to a professional. Paul Davis' professional team has the know-how and response time required to get your house back in order. To find a local franchise in your area, contact us at (403)342-4666 and we'll get an expert for your assistance.